Angry No. 1 pick claps back after withering preseason assessment raises Week 1 and ‘fired’ concerns

Aug 30, 2026 - 08:45

Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans are 2-0 in preseason, but Cam Ward knows there’s still room for improvement.

The Titans have picked up wins against the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, but the 2025 No. 1 pick and his quarterback colleagues are yet to throw a touchdown.

Cam Ward 1 of the Tennessee Titans warms up prior to the Week 2 preseason game at against the Seattle Seahawks Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 — Ward agreed with suggestion that he hasn’t played well in preseason

Ward has gone 13-of-24 for 126 yards through the air across those two games. Will Levis, Mitchell Trubisky and Hendon Hooker haven’t shown too much to get excited about either.

Tennessee, who will soon move to a new stadium, play their preseason finale against the Chicago Bears at home on Saturday afternoon, and ahead of the game, Ward was asked how he would assess his play so far.

Cam Ward claps back at reporter’s assessment of preseason form

“How would Cam Ward assess the way Cam Ward has played so far this preseason?” reporter Jared Stillman asked the quarterback Thursday.

When Ward responded by asking how Stillman would assess it, the journalist stood on business.

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“Not well,” he said.

Ward, perhaps taken aback, then offered a strong statement.

“I’m glad you don’t think so,” he said.

“That’s good. I assess it as, did we win the game, or did we lose a game? I assess it as what I can get better at.

“I don’t assess it as, someone who can get up there and operate when everything’s on. It’s a different process level. So it’s more of slowing down the game to everybody.

“And I believe we made a huge jump from (preseason) Week 1 to Week 2 because we’re getting more condensed in a playbook.

Cam Ward 1 of the Tennessee Titans hands the ball off to Tyjae Spears 2 of the Tennessee Titans during the first half of a preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 — The Titans are 2-0 in preseason but the first real test comes in Week 1 against the Jets

“We’re not really opening everything up. And, you know, when we come to Week 1, I think it’ll be a different story.”

Cam Ward ‘could get another coach fired’ in Tennessee

The fears, of course, will be about what happens when the regular season begins.

Two wins from two preseason games is good, but the Titans will be expected to brush aside the struggling New York Jets at Nissan Stadium when the action really begins on September 13.

If Ward and the offense stalls against one of the worst teams in the NFL, questions will soon be asked of last year’s top draft pick.

Especially given he’s been armed with new weapons in Wan’Dale Robinson and Carnell Tate, in a bid to improve on last year’s 3-14 finish.

But Stillman, who called out Ward’s preseason play, believes he risks getting another Titans coach fired if things don’t improve.

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Former Jets head coach Robert Saleh has arrived for the 2026 season, but Stillman believes his stint in Tennessee might be short-lived because of the quarterback.

“Cam Ward has already gotten one coach fired,” he said on his YouTube channel.

“I promise you, this general manager is absolutely on the hot seat, and he is truly on the hot seat because of the way Cam has played.

“Robert Saleh in this situation could easily be one-and-done if this team doesn’t show signs of improvement because the reason they hired him was his ‘grand plan’ for Cam Ward.

Head Coach Robert Saleh of the Tennessee Titans looks on prior to Week 2 of the preseason game at against the Seattle Seahawks Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 — Saleh could be on the chopping block if Ward under performs in Year 2

“And I also think that if he fires the general manager and fires the quarterback this time, they’re going to want the coach fired too. And I don’t think Robert Saleh is popular enough the way, say, a Mike Vrabel was.

“I don’t think he’s popular enough to be able to survive it.”

Ward, of course, is a promising quarterback heading into his second NFL season. He will need patience in his Sophomore year, but if things start to go south, Stillman believes there will be plenty who can pay with their jobs.