Cam Ward’s on-field performance this season has featured its share of ups and downs.
But Ward has at least been on the field — and specifically in a starting role — more often than any other rookie quarterback in franchise history.
Ward has started all 14 games for the Titans in 2025, and he broke Vince Young’s mark of 13 starts as a rookie quarterback last week when Tennessee fell to San Francisco. Marcus Mariota ranks third in that category, as he started 12 games in 2015 before he was sidelined with a knee injury.
The No. 1 overall draft pick in April, Ward is one of just 16 NFL quarterbacks who have started 14 games this season.
He’s taken his share of physical punishment as well over the past three-and-a-half months.
Ward has been sacked 49 times this year, tied for highest in the league with Las Vegas’ Geno Smith and the Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert. Similarly, he’s been hit 44 times, which is tied for seventh in the league.
But the 6-2, 219-pound Ward has yet to appear on the Titans’ injury report this season.
“I’m blessed,” Ward said Wednesday. “I don’t take it for granted every time I step on the field. I know it could be my last snap. I try to just play with a carelessness. You never know when it’s going to be your last snap, so no matter how good the play is, [or] no matter how bad the play, you always got to play the next play.”
Some encouraging news for Ward and the Titans is that the team’s offensive line has stepped up its protection in recent weeks.
After surrendering 48 sacks in the first 12 games, the Titans have allowed a combined one over the past two contests, tied for the fewest in the league. Tennessee didn’t give up a single sack for the first time all season last week, and Ward was hit just three times.
“I think it just spoke to … the way we have to play to be efficient, from the O-line sustaining blocks in pass protection specifically,” Ward said. “The running backs picking up protections, the past couple weeks they’ve done real good with that. Then myself, just [have to] continue to play on time, check it down early if I have to.”
The fact that the Titans’ run game has totaled well over 100 yards in each of the past two games has also benefited Ward, as opponents have to pay more attention to backs and must honor Tennessee’s play-action fakes.
“The best part is just the more we can continue to run the ball efficiently … [it’s] been helping us, and then play action off of it,” Ward said.
Ward hasn’t been prolific through the air this season, as he is averaging 188.4 passing yards per game, well behind Mariota, who averaged 234.8 as a rookie.
But Ward’s reliability and durability have helped him post 2,638 passing yards as a rookie, a total that leaves him just 181 yards short of breaking Mariota’s franchise rookie record of 2,818.
If Ward stays healthy for the final three contests, he’ll be the first Titans quarterback to start all 17 games in one season since Ryan Tannehill did so in 2021.
That would also mean two more attempts — against the Chiefs and New Orleans—for Ward and the Titans — to end the team’s home losing streak, which now stands at 11, tied for the longest in franchise history.
“That’s the plan, to win both of those at the crib,” Ward said. “To go into next year with a little home game winning streak, that’s what our fans need to see … We need to make our home atmosphere one of the best in the NFL.”