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Cam Ward Sent Strong Warning To Titans Before Draft

Cam Ward made sure the Titans knew they'd regret not drafting him.
Apr 25, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA;  Tennessee Titans first round draft pick Cameron Ward speaks to the media at a press conference. Cam Ward was the number one overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Apr 25, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans first round draft pick Cameron Ward speaks to the media at a press conference. Cam Ward was the number one overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

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The Tennessee Titans kicked off the 2025 NFL Draft in the way everyone expected them to - by drafting Miami quarterback Cam Ward. The pick felt like it was written in Sharpie for well over a month ahead of the annual selection meeting, and it was now just a matter of ceremony to officially make Ward the Titans' hopeful franchise quarterback after the Will Levis experiment was a quick two-year failure.

While many assumed Ward would be the pick, it's how Tennessee arrived at the conclusion that is fascinating. According to Albert Breer, the Titans' choices were down to four around the time of the NFL Combine. Those four players were Ward, Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, Colorado wide receiver Travis Hunter, and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Ward had "separated from the group," though, according to Breer's report, and new Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi said that Ward has "everything you want" in terms of the makeup of a quarterback. It was a pre-draft meeting at the NFL Combine, though, where Ward's confidence in himself, and a warning he issued to the Titans seemed to impress head coach Brian Callahan and the Titans' brass.

"You don't draft me, and you're gonna pay for it," Ward told the Titans. Head coach Brian Callahan tested that, according to Breer.

“Hey, man, everybody says that,” Callahan said. “That’s the dumbest sh*t I’ve ever heard. Every quarterback in the world says that now, because Tom Brady said it way back in the day.”

Ward's belief in himself, though, won out and the Titans knew that he was the guy they'd be drafting. And as the spring and summer come and go, Ward will be the singular player that the jobs of so many rely on. If he succeeds, they succeed. If he fails, many in Tennessee will likely be looking for new employers.

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Jarrett Bailey
JARRETT BAILEY

Jarrett Bailey has covered the NFL since 2020 for various outlets, including The Sporting News and USA Today. He is the host of The Pump Fake Podcast and a lover of Batman lure and Professional Wrestling