Titans head coach Brian Callahan challenged Cam Ward before drafting him No. 1 overall.
The Tennessee Titans thoroughly scouted each quarterback ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft and ultimately decided to select Cam Ward No. 1 overall. During the pre-draft process, reports indicate that Titans head coach Brian Callahan took the opportunity to challenge the former Miami Hurricanes quarterback.
During one of the private meetings, the 22-year-old rookie informed the Titans that if they didn't draft him, they'd regret it. It's something Tom Brady famously said after falling to the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Callahan allegedly challenged Ward on the quote to see how the young quarterback would react, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. Ward's response allowed Tennessee to see he wasn't messing around.
“You don't draft me,” Ward told the room, “and you're gonna pay for it.”
“Hey, man, everybody says that,” Titans coach Callahan responded. “That’s the dumbest s— I’ve ever heard. Every quarterback in the world says that now, because Tom Brady said it way back in the day.”
“Do you mean that?” Callahan continued. “Is that really you?”
“I mean it,” Ward responded. “And I stand on it.”
“O.K.,” Callahan said. “Good. At least you're not full of s—.”
The Titans saw a young quarterback who had to earn his keep throughout his collegiate career. Cam Ward came out of high school as a 0-star recruit and ended up playing for Incarnate Word for two seasons before transferring to Washington State.
Ward eventually transferred to Miami before being drafted by the Titans. That's where he put on a Heisman-worthy performance. During his final season of college football, the Heisman Trophy runner-up finished with 4,313 passing yards, 39 passing touchdowns, and seven interceptions. His 39 passing touchdowns were the most in the nation at the FBS level last season.
The Titans' front office and coaching staff seemingly fell in love with how Ward improved each season. They believe that trend will continue now that he's in the NFL. It's a bet Tennessee must take, as the organization has been searching for a franchise quarterback since the 2005 season, after the team traded Steve McNair to the Baltimore Ravens.
QB Cam Ward hopes to shine with Titans
As for Ward, he's not short on confidence, stating, “You don’t draft me, and you’re gonna pay for it.”
Titans head coach Brian Callahan said Ward’s comment was dumb because it only parroted what Tom Brady said many years ago. But Callahan said, “Do you mean that? Is that really you?”
“I mean it,” Ward responded. “And I stand on it.”
Callahan said he got an impression of Ward’s ability when the quarterback played at the University of Miami.
“A couple of those throws you saw, like highlight-wise, you’re like, Wow, that was a real throw,” Callahan says. “The one against Louisville, and the one where he’s throwing rolling to his left against Florida. Those ones were, you’re like, jeez. That’s a really impressive throw for a young kid. And that was about it, really. I didn’t have a ton of exposure to him.”
Another impression came in a game against Syracuse, Callahan said.
“Double-A gap blitz, they blitzed the middle of the pocket, and Cam just sort of stands in there, and he changes his arm angle and delivers a strike,” Callahan says. “And it was a contested catch. The receiver dropped it, but he threw it right on the money. It was a third down. I kept rewinding and looking at him like, How did this ball even get to the target? The pocket was so muddy. And he just stood in there and ripped it.”
