Feb. 5, 2026, 4:11 p.m. ET

Last offseason, Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon gave his blessing for Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward to wear his retired No. 1 jersey, and now, after watching him grow as a rookie, he feels confident that the jersey number is in good hands.

Moon, who was at the Super Bowl representing the NFL Alumni and promoting screenings for cancer awareness, caught up with Jim Wyatt to discuss Ward, Robert Saleh, and the Titans’ future, and feels like there is a bright future ahead for Ward and the organization.

On Ward: He will only get better

“I thought he really came along as the season went along, and I know he learned a lot,” Moon said of Ward. “He just needs a few more weapons, and as they get more people around him, I think he’ll be just fine. He’s a very confident young man, and I also think he got an eye-opener about what the NFL is all about. I think the league probably humbled him a little bit, to be honest, and now that he’s played an entire season, he has figured out what he has to do to be successful, and I think he’ll do that.

Moon was excited by Ward’s growth, and although he kept his distance, he was always a phone call away to help mentor the young quarterback. Now, he believes the Titans need to build around their franchise quarterback and allow him to take another step forward.

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.On Saleh: Look past New York

“I think it’s a solid hire, a really good hire, as far as the guys who were available and on the market,” Moon said of Saleh. “I thought he did a really good job in New York under the circumstances. He just didn’t have a really good quarterback, and he had to deal with that whole Jets dysfunction. It’s been that way for about four years. It would have been hard for him to succeed there; it would be hard for anybody to succeed there. But I think he’s a solid coach and he has shown that with his two appearances with the 49ers. He did a great job this year keeping that team together on the defensive side of the ball, and he is known as a great leader and can rally guys. I think he’ll do a great job with the Titans.”

Moon points to a fact that many overlook when discounting Saleh as a quality head coach: the Jets organization. Yes, Saleh went 20-36 during his tenure, but that doesn’t paint the entire picture. The Jets have gone 6-23 since Saleh’s departure and are nowhere near as competitive as they were when he was at the helm.

On Daboll: He was a key hire this offseason

“I think the key for Coach Saleh was getting Daboll as his offensive coordinator, because you always wonder with a defensive-minded coach: What’s his OC going to be like?” Moon said. “I like Daboll because he is very aggressive, and he knows how to work with athletic quarterbacks. He did a great job with Josh Allen in Buffalo. And I think he’ll do a really good job with Cam, too. I thought it was a great hire for his offensive coordinator.”

Daboll has a long history of developing young quarterbacks and experience implementing an offense in which they can thrive. An experienced play-caller, he gives Tennessee something they have lacked in recent seasons and should create a system that can be successful with the Titans. Now they just have to find the players to make it work.