Cam Ward, as he proved during his rookie season, can be pretty hard on himself.
During an offseason of change around him, the Titans quarterback is expecting things to be different in 2026 with a new head coach (Robert Saleh) and offensive coordinator (Brian Daboll).
Ward said he welcomes the change.
Even if it means he gets some tough love along the way.
"I don't need it, but I want it," Ward said. "And it's not for my sake, because I know what I want to be – I don't need a coach to pat me on the back or cuss me out. I want a coach like coach Daboll who is going to be the same each and every day. He is going to let me know the real, and I just have to respond."
There's a new man in charge in Tennessee with the hiring of Saleh, who tabbed the veteran Daboll to lead his offense, and help guide Ward.
Ward said he's excited even more about the future in Tennessee following the moves.
Ward said he already had a good relationship with Daboll even before he was hired in Tennessee, dating back to his exposure with him leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft. Daboll was head coach of the New York Giants at the time, and Ward said Daboll made no secret about how much he liked him, and he always appreciated it.
Ward said he's also gotten to know Saleh a bit, and he feels like he's going to be a great fit for the organization.
"I think it's a great hire, especially for the team and where we want to be identity-wise, what we want to put on the field," Ward said of Saleh, a former head coach with the Jets who served two different stints as defensive coordinator with the 49ers. "I think he's respected among players across the league. So, I am excited to have him as my head coach, and excited to get some wins for him.
"It has been good getting to know him, especially him starting to learn more about me, and me learning more about him. We want to create that relationship and be able to carry it over onto the field."
As for Daboll, Ward said he watched film with him during the pre-draft process last offseason, and the two came away impressed by one another.
Daboll, who served as head coach of the New York Giants from 2022-25, also previously served eight total seasons as an NFL offensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns (2009-10), Miami Dolphins (2011), Kansas City Chiefs (2012) and Buffalo Bills (2018-21).
"I had a good interview process with him throughout the draft season last year, and I think he's going to do a lot of things to compliment me. I think he is going to put me and the team in the best situation," Ward said.
"He is a coach who is well respected, and someone like me wants to play for a guy like that. I am for sure going to have his back, and he is going to have mine. I am excited to learn from him. … Having a coach like Daboll, who is going to listen to me, and give me feedback from the film room to the field and put his game plan in each and every week. That is why I am excited to be heard by him, and it is going to get some wins for us."
Ward already knows Daboll can be pretty blunt, but he's OK with that.
"I like that he is a fiery coach," he said. "He is going to get on my ass when he needs to, and he is going to hold me to a high standard. And that's the standard I want to be held to."
Ward finished his rookie season in 2025 completing 323-of-540 passes for 3,169 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions, with a passer rating of 80.3. Ward also rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns.
Ward's 540 attempts in 2025 were more than every quarterback in franchise history in a season other than Warren Moon, who had 655 attempts in 1991 and 584 attempts in 1990.
Ward, who started all 17 games for the Titans in 2025, played every snap before suffering a right shoulder injury in the season finale at the Jaguars.
Coming off a 3-14 season, Ward said he's as optimistic as he's been about what's ahead for himself, and the team.
"I think (Mike) Borgonzi, Amy (Adams Strunk), and Chad (Brinker), they got it right with each and every hire," Ward said. "And it makes me feel more comfortable, because we are building things not only for the future, but we are trying to build it now. We have the players on the roster to do it right now, but we have to add a couple of more pieces on both sides of the ball.
"Once we do that, I think we'll be a very good team, and we'll be able to compete at the highest level."
