NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward has fallen on some tough times in his rookie season, and the Titans' 1-7 record is tied with the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints for the worst in the NFL.
"It's about trying to change the outcome every week," Ward said. "Right now, we're not winning a lot of football games. That motivates me because I can help change that in many ways. The ball hits my hand every down."
Ward lost one of his biggest advocates when the Titans fired coach Brian Callahan after falling 20-10 to the Las Vegas Raiders (2-5). The season began with hopes that Callahan's catalog of past quarterbacks he worked with would help Ward develop into Tennessee's next franchise quarterback. One of those quarterbacks was Hall of Famer Peyton Manning.
Manning, who was also selected No. 1 (1998), didn't get off to a good start as a rookie either. Ward's 11 turnovers are tied with Tua Tagovailoa for most in the NFL and have him on pace for 23 on the season. But that's much less than Manning's 31 turnovers his rookie year with the Indianapolis Colts.
Ward first met Manning at the Manning Passing Academy a few years ago. They've kept in touch and he has gotten advice from Manning about fighting through the rocky start.
"Just having a relationship with Peyton, it's cool because he constantly tells me the little things I have to work on," Ward said. "Keep on going one day at a time.
"I'd say the best advice he gave me is no matter how high you get or how low you get, you just got to continue to be yourself, lead the guys the way you know how to lead them and at the end of the day, just play football."
There have surely been lows this season. Ward expressed extreme frustration last Sunday with interim head coach Mike McCoy's decision to punt instead of going for it on fourth-and-4 trailing 17-7 with the ball at the Colts' 42-yard line. He was captured on the broadcast yelling "What the f--- are we doing? Go for it!" as he and the offense came off the field. McCoy would later say after reviewing the game, that he should have gone for it.
Ward has remained the same outspoken person he has always been through the losses -- even going viral for saying "We ass" last month when describing the offense after a 26-0 loss to the Houston Texans last month. This is the same guy that said in August that he felt the Titans' receiving group is among the top five in the league.
Cam Ward's parents raised him to always speak his mind and be honest about his play. When asked what his mom, Patrice had to say about the season so far, here's his answer: She's been quiet lately. That's surprising. Maybe we gotta win a game so she can crack a smile.... pic.twitter.com/waMXSFvQc2
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) October 29, 2025
Ward was always taught to be honest and speak his truth. His father, Calvin, experienced the frustration in the season opener. He was caught on the TV broadcast getting up to walk off his disappointment after Calvin Ridley dropped a pass late in the 20-12 loss to the Denver Broncos.
"He is 100% like my wife," the elder Ward told ESPN. "He never sugarcoats anything, including his own performance. He is very genuine, and all he wants to do is win and be with his teammates. Other than football, he cares about nothing else [besides] family."
Heading into Week 9, Ward's individual stats rank among the bottom of the league in most categories.
Titans offensive coordinator Nick Holz was quick to mention how Ward's confidence isn't easily shaken. Holz believes Ward's journey from lightly recruited college prospect to becoming one of the best players in college football helped him fight through adversity.
"There's a level of his maturity I think that being in college for as long as he was," Holz said of Ward's five-year journey at that level. "He had some ups and downs in college too. Washington State at the end, they were down some bodies and they had some stuff there, and I think he leans into all those experiences of being this underdog guy and things like that."
Ward said his confidence is the primary thing that will keep the losing season from eating away at him.
There have been some signs of promise as of late. Ward's 259 passing yards against the Colts last week was Ward's second most this season, and his career-high 265 passing yards in Tennessee's win against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5 ignited a four-game streak of 220 or more yards. And he's done all of this while being the most sacked quarterback (34) in the NFL.
McCoy mentioned Ward's constant work on improving mechanics and having the adjustments transfer to games as an example of how he's improved. There are still mistakes, but the improvement is there.
McCoy said Ward, who arrives daily at the facility at 5 a.m., is no different from past greats like Philip Rivers and Manning that he's worked with in that he gets infuriated about plays he missed rather than focusing on the ones that he made.
"Being a rookie at any position, you're going to see something at times for the first time, and you just learn from it and you just keep rolling," McCoy said. "I think he's done an outstanding job. You see him, he's steady Eddie all the time. We had plenty of discussions about being a rookie, how it's going to take time. Playing the quarterback position, it's not easy."
Things won't get any easier when the Titans host the Chargers on Sunday at 1:00 pm ET at Nissan Stadium. Los Angeles has the sixth-ranked pass defense, allowing 184.5 yards per game. If Ward can extend his four-game streak of 200-plus passing yards to another week, it could help Tennessee get the unlikely win over the Chargers.