Cam Ward was the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft and is set to be the Titans’ starter from Day 1.
But he doesn’t seem like a player who has lost the chip on his shoulder from being a zero-star recruit.
“I don’t care about the hype,” Ward said in a recent interview with Jeff Howe of TheAthletic.com. “I don’t care about social media. All I care about is this 100-yard field. … At the end of the day, football takes care of everything.
“I don’t think I’m being welcomed in [the league] with open arms,” Ward added. “I was the first pick. I’m blessed to be that. But at the end of the day, there’s a target on my back. There’s a target on everyone’s back in the league, but I’m trying to prove myself to my teammates.”
Ward has apparently done that, with Howe reporting the quarterback has been at the Titans’ facility at 5:30 every morning during training camp for a workout. Teammates have joined him, illustrating Ward’s leadership.
“Good things only come to people who work,” Ward said. “Growing up, I saw my dad wake up at 4:30 a.m. doing a job he didn’t like. If I can’t wake up early to do a job I do like, I just think I shouldn’t be here.”
We’ll see how it pays off starting when the Titans take on the Broncos to begin the season on Sept. 7.