Titans’ No. 1 pick Cam Ward doesn’t get enough respect or attention, teammate Jeffery Simmons says

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, is having a quiet first summer with his franchise. While that’s a positive in some ways, since it allows Ward to work without any outside noise serving as a distraction, his teammate, defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, detects a hint of disrespect in the lack of buzz around Ward. 

“First off, I think that our team — the Tennessee Titans — never get the respect and attention we need,” Simmons said on “Good Morning Football.” “I’ve never seen the No. 1 pick overall never get the respect and, quite frankly, the attention that he deserves.”  

Flying under the radar is nothing new to Ward. He began his journey to the NFL as an unranked recruit in Incarnate Word’s 2020 signing class. He burst onto the scene as the 2021 Southland Conference Player of the Year after throwing 4,648 yards and 47 touchdowns.

He parlayed that success into a transfer portal opportunity at Washington State, where he amassed a 12-13 record while tallying 6,966 yards and 48 touchdowns in two seasons with the Cougars. Ahead of the 2024 season, he initially declared for the NFL Draft before withdrawing from the process and transferring to Miami. 

There, he finally entered the limelight as a Heisman Trophy finalist and the 2024 Davey O’Brien Award winner. Ward also boosted his stock enough to where he was the first name off the board in April’s draft.

In a lot of ways, Ward’s persona matches that of the Titans, who have fallen out of the national consciousness recently following three straight losing seasons. Tennessee has suffered through a quarterback carousel in that span, and there’s hope within the building that Ward can provide some much-needed stability. 

“I think that’s a chip on his shoulder,” Simmons said. “You could tell by the way he goes about his business — his swagger, his demeanor — this gonna be one of the ones that I’m excited to see. I’m excited to get back to camp next week to be more around him and learn a little more about him.”