Cam Ward Has Shades of Titans Legend

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward is being compared to a franchise icon.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward throws a pass during minicamp at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The Tennessee Titans haven't been to the Super Bowl in 25 years, but they hope things can change with Cam Ward under center.

Ward was the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft this spring, marking the first time Tennessee selected a quarterback in the first round in 10 years when Marcus Mariota went second in 2015. Before Mariota there was Jake Locker, who was a bust in 2011, and Vince Young, who started off hot but couldn't keep it going after his rookie year in 2006. The Titans hope Ward can be like Steve McNair, the No. 3 overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft.

McNair was the team's first quarterback in Tennessee, and FOX Sports analyst Rob Rang compared him to Ward in a recent article.

"It goes without saying that as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, the Titans are expecting Ward to become a star and perhaps someday guide this team back to the Super Bowl, in much the same way that the late McNair did for this franchise," Rang wrote.

"Ward isn’t the bulldozing runner McNair was, but he’s fantastically slippery in the pocket and possesses both the downfield vision and deep ball accuracy to light a fire under a dormant fan base."

McNair spent 11 seasons with the Titans organization, including two with the Houston Oilers. He went 5-4 in playoff games with Tennessee, including three victories en route to Super Bowl XXXIV, where they lost to the St. Louis Rams by a single yard on the final drive.

McNair helped bring the Titans as close to a Super Bowl as possible without winning it, and the hope is that Ward can carry the torch and bring the franchise across the finish line.

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