It's been another underwhelming year for the Tennessee Titans. After selecting Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the team finds itself ... in the exact same area with three weeks left in the regular season.
No matter how things finish out, the Titans will once again look to make big changes in the offseason. While Ward is here to stay, theteam will need to find a new head coachafter firing Brian Callahan six games into the season.
Though Ward is still a rookie, he wants to beinvolved in the search for the team's next coach, per the team's website.
"I want to meet all of them," Ward said. "Every coach who's going to get the opportunity to come here, I want to meet them, have conversations throughout the whole process with them because that's someone that I'm going to be here with for that time.
[The Titans' front office] know how much I want to be involved. And then especially just not even with the scheme part of it just as the head coach who he is on a everyday basis. And then, we'll get into the scheme what I know I'm good at, what I want do, what he thinks will also help me."
That's maybe presumptuous for a player who has only played in 14 NFL games so far, though it also makes sense. Ward is viewed as a franchise cornerstone after the team selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. While he hasn't been an immediate success, the Titans have a lot invested in him turning into a franchise player. If the Titans want to make that outcome more likely, they should probably choose a coach who excites Ward.
Ward has proven to be a work in progress after 14 starts in the NFL. He's completed just 59.3 percent of his passes, tossing 11 touchdowns against seven interceptions. He's also taken an NFL-leading 49 sacks.
It's a discouraging start to his NFL career, though not an unexpected one. The Titans, like most teams that earn the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, were devoid of talent when the team selected Ward. Bringing in impact players in the offseason would go a long way toward helping Ward turn things around.
Picking the right coach could also make a big difference for Ward. Both the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots can attest to that. Caleb Williams has shown immense development in Ben Johnson's first year as the Bears' head coach. Drake Maye has turned himself into an MVP candidate under the watchful eye of Mike Vrabel. Those two examples are proof the right coach can dramatically improve a team's chances.
It's unclear who the Titans plan to interview for the vacant head coach position. Given the importance of Ward's development, however, the team could make it a priority to talk to some of the big-name offensive coordinators looking to make the leap this offseason.
Finding one who can get the most out of Ward will be key. Given that, having Ward's input throughout that process could turn out to be extremely beneficial for the franchise, even if Ward is only a few games into his NFL career.
