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Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
NFL quarterback turns on his teammates after difficult start to training camp
Tennessee Titans rookie Cam Ward has offered a brutal assessment of his teammates after a rocky start to their training camp. The quarterback experienced his first two padded practices in the NFL and evidently the former Miami Hurricanes star has been left less than impressed. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Ward said: 'I just think we're very mid right now. At the end of the day, it all starts with me. 'I just don't think we're at where we need to be, but we've got a little bit of time. Every day we get better as a whole. We're a young team, but that's no excuse. 'I have to get on the same page with my receivers, watch more film, and be more accurate with the football'. The Titans website reported that the rookie suffered four interceptions across two days of training. He was 11-of-23 in Wednesday's practice and 11-of-26 in Tuesday's session. 'It might not be where I wanted to be, but I'm throwing to 15, 16 different people every day,' Ward continued. Ward's selection by the Titans was hardly a surprise, considering they struggled massively in 2024 under the poor play of Will Levis. When they drafted Ward, the Miami star got permission from Hall-of-Famer Warren Moon to don his No. 1 jersey that the team had 'retired'. But now, Ward will take the starting job uncontested, after Levis was confirmed to miss the rest of the season earlier this week. The Titans announced on Monday that Levis had underwent shoulder surgery and wouldn't be active for the 2025 season. When asked about how he took the news of his teammate's injury, Ward gave a somewhat ruthless response. 'I didn't really have a reaction. I focus on Cam Ward,' the rookie told reporters. Veteran backup Brandon Allen is set to take the QB2 spot while another career benchwarmer, Tim Boyle, is projected to slide up to QB3. After initially beginning the 2023 season on the bench, Levis replaced Ryan Tannehill for eight games in the middle of the campaign. Last year, Levis became the full-time starter for Tennessee, but did not put up the most impressive numbers. Meanwhile, Ward is the first quarterback that the Titans have taken in the first round since they selected Marcus Mariota second overall in 2015. Ward is also the first first-overall pick that the franchise has had since the then-Houston Oilers took running back Earl Campbell in 1978.
UPI
5 hours ago
- Business
- UPI
Former NFL players join BBB to launch Small Business Training Camp
1 of 5 | Tennessee Titans Keith Bullock arrives for the Hotel De Maxim Super Bowl party at the Sagamore Hotel on Miami Beach in 2007. As a successful entrepreneur, he will help teach students at the Small Business Training Camp. File Photo by Martin Fried/UPI | License Photo July 31 (UPI) -- The National Football League Alumni Association announced the Small Business Training Camp along with the Better Business Bureau Foundation for Better Business to help NFL alumni launch and run small businesses. Former NFL players who have become successful entrepreneurs play a key role in the program, a press release from the BBB said. Some players contributing to the program are: Tim Baylor, former Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Colts defensive back and founder and president of the JADT Development Group Keith Bulluck, former Tennessee Titans and New York Giants linebacker and owner of Just Love Coffee Café LeRoy Butler, former Green Bay Packers safety and owner of Leap Vodka Michael Griffin, former Tennessee Titans safety who co-owns Gigi's Cupcakes in Austin, Texas, with former NFL player Brian Orakpo and Bryan Hinson Terrence Holt, former Detroit Lions safety who co-owns Holt Brothers Construction with his brother Torry Holt, former wide receiver for the St. Louis Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars Dick Vermeil, former head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Rams, and Kansas City Chiefs, who is a long-time owner of Vermeil Wines Some NFL alumni are learning from and using the expertise and educational programming, like course content related to forming a small business, financial fundamentals and cash flow, sales and marketing, customer service and retention, compliance and risk management, and human resources management. They are also using the resources offered by the Small Business Administration, including Small Business Development Centers, and highly successful business leaders across the country, including former NFL players, to lend their key insights and support. The camp also aims to promote and support small business development in communities partnering with NFL Alumni chapters. "Supporting former NFL players in life after football is a core component of NFL Alumni's mission," said Brad Edwards, CEO of NFL Alumni. "Our continued partnership with BBB - Heart of Texas and its Foundation for Better Business enables us to provide retired players many of the resources they need to become entrepreneurs and both launch and grow businesses and contribute to the community."
USA Today
10 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL Power Rankings as teams get to work in training camp
Training camps are underway. August also means preseason games and the end of the football famine. Granted, these games are unlikely to see many stars -- let alone starters -- play. However, one can still get some sort of final read on how all 32 teams did with their offseason moves. Some were predictably bad. One team, in fact, has already encountered such bad fortune that it drops to the 32nd slot, and there doesn't seem to be a lot of hope for moving on up in the Power Rankings. With that in mind, here is how all 32 teams stack up heading into August… 32. Tennessee Titans No one expected Will Levis to start over Cam Ward. It still might have been nice to have him as a backup in case the No. 1 overall pick struggled and needed seasoning. Levis is done for the year. Treylon Burks is also kaput with a broken collarbone. He was waived with an injury designation. The Titans traded A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles and drafted Burks thinking he would replace the elite wideout. In three seasons, Burks has 53 receptions, 33 as a rookie. Talk about going backward. 31. Cleveland Browns Well, it is now understandable why the Browns selected Shedeur Sanders. They think he is fast, especially with his pedal leg. Nothing like getting a couple of outrageous speeding tickets to make the front office feel comfortable with their decision to draft him after selecting Dillion Gabriel. The only thing fast for Cleveland is its trip to another high draft pick in 2026. 30. New Orleans Saints Tyrann Mathieu made the smartest move of anyone associated with the New Orleans Saints. The DB retired and joined "The Insiders.' Wise choice because the Saints are going to be outsiders when it comes to contention for a playoff spot in 2025. 29. New York Giants Russell Wilson is the starter but the daily coverage of Jaxson Dart would make one believe he was the first pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Get the feeling he is more likely to be akin to fellow Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral than Eli Manning, another Rebel. 28. Atlanta Falcons At least they didn't draft a quarterback in the first round (kidding). The Falcons went defense-centric. They are still stuck with Kirk Cousins and his monster deal — for now. Wonder if their brass is thinking about calling the Rams because Matthew Stafford is plagued by a bad back. LA can't afford him but Atlanta can't want Cousins just lingering as a backup. 27. Chicago Bears At best there shouldn't be outrageous expectations for Ben Johnson. This team is light years from the Detroit Lions squad he left as offensive coordinator to take charge at Soldier Field. Finishing anywhere but last in this division would be a stunner. 26. Indianapolis Colts Anthony Richardson is now Anthony Richardson Sr. The Colts hope the name change will have the quarterback play up to the expectations they had when drafting him. The injury-prone quarterback has a shoulder problem, not from carrying his baby son on them. That would likely be from toting this offense. The backup is Daniel Jones. That combination doesn't exude optimism. 25. New England Patriots Mike Vrabel has to be concerned that DBs Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis III are already being bugged by injury. The last thing the new New England coach needs is his top secondary players being unable to go. And it is early but injuries have a nasty habit of lingering. 24. New York Jets In the minutes after Justin Fields dislocated his toe early in training camp, if one was following social media they would have believed it was the second coming of Aaron Rodgers' fourth play as a New York Jet in the regular season. Create panic before finding out the facts, welcome to 2025. 23. Jacksonville Jaguars Trading up for Travis Hunter was a spectacular splash. Let him do his thing on offense and defense while monitoring total plays. Wyatt Millum should bring grit to the line. 22. Miami Dolphins Getting Minkah Fitzpatrick back while divesting Jalen Ramsey is a good move. Hopefully, Fitzpatrick will be content in South Beach. The Dolphins still need to toughen up rather than beat lesser teams and get pummeled by better ones. 21. Las Vegas Raiders It will be interesting to see how well Ashton Jeanty does against much tougher competition than he found at Boise State (understatement). Everyone should be cheering on Jack Bech at wideout. Geno Smith isn't a spring chicken. Then again, neither is Pete Carroll no matter how much enthusiasm he has. 20. Dallas Cowboys The offensive line was far from a strength and now Tyler Guyton is gone for 4-6 weeks with a bone fracture. Brian Schottenheimer faces a huge task making this team into a contender. The longer the Micah Parsons contract drama plays out the harder that will be, too. 19. Minnesota Vikings This team's hopes and dreams hinge on J.J. McCarthy's knee. He has not been impressive early in training camp. Plenty of picks thrown. It is early but it gets late soon in the NFL. 18. Carolina Panthers This is a team on the rise. It helps that the NFC South is meek. Will Tetairoa McMillan make the rise from Arizona Wildcats to Carolina Panthers successfully? Trevor Etienne should not be expected to have the same results as his brother Travis is in Jacksonville. 17. Pittsburgh Steelers The Steelers' faithful wasn't thrilled when the team signed Aaron Rodgers. If this is truly one-and-done in Pittsburgh, chances are it will be a season to forget. Could Rodgers be the only quarterback to have Mike Tomlin wind up with a sub-.500 season? It's a strong possibility. 16. Cincinnati Bengals Just hard to believe the Bengals are messing around with Trey Hendrickson. He is one of the most valuable -- if not the most valuable -- players on defense. Without him, this team would certainly wind up in some wild, high-scoring games. 15. San Francisco 49ers This based more on players not being ravaged by injury as they were in 2024 as opposed to any huge gains in the offseason. 14. Seattle Seahawks The best thing that could happen to Sam Darnold was Seattle landing Cooper Kupp. He isn't Justin Jefferson but he certainly is a superstar and has plenty left. The former Viking QB would do well to look for the ex-Ram often, which should open up others receivers. 13. Los Angeles Rams The Rams had a chance to move on from Matthew Stafford and didn't Now, they have to worry about how fragile the veteran QB's back is. They added Davante Adams. Is he an improvement on Cooper Kupp? Call that a draw. They needed a tight end but Terrance Ferguson felt like a stretch at 46. The running back room is full of talent. Sean McVay will figure it out. 12. Houston Texans Signing Nick Chubb could turn out to be a brilliant move if the former Brown can regain his former after a series of injuries. His presence becomes more important with Joe Mixon's woes that have him sidelined. 11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Todd Bowles and Jason Licht earned extensions for their roles in building an NFC South dynasty. They should add another division championship and not threaten to win the Super Bowl in 2025. Amazing what being in the worst division in the NFL can do for bank accounts. 10. Arizona Cardinals The Cardinals will continue to get better. Look for Marvin Harrison Jr. to have more catches. Trey McBride is a gem at tight end. Will Johnson and Walter Nolen need to be watched to see what they delivers as rookies. 9. Denver Broncos Not about to argue with Sean Payton, especially when it comes to scoping talent. Jahdae Barron will mesh with Patrick Surtain II in the secondary. Will RJ Harvey or Pat Bryant be assets on offense? Harvey brings big rushing numbers from UCF. Payton finds gems. See: Nix, Bo. 8. Los Angeles Chargers NFL players never learn to stay away from fireworks. The latest example is Najee Harris, who suffered eye injuries around July 4. The Chargers need him to fortify the running game. 7. Washington Commanders The Commanders won't catch anyone by surprise in 2025. That changes the dynamic for Dan Quinn. Jayden Daniels will get better and he already is a superstar. Trey Amos (DB) and Jaylin Lane (WR) were strong picks. The Terry McLaurin contract and injury situation is one to watch. 6. Kansas City Chiefs The Chiefs remain the class of the AFC West. However, the Broncos and Chargers are gaining on them. Josh Simmons is either a steal or a guy whose injury history is going to haunt. 5. Green Bay Packers The Packers are a powerhouse and will be a team to watch. The Vikings figure to falter so the Detroit Lions best keep their eyes on Green Bay. 4. Philadelphia Eagles Anyone going to argue with anything Howie Roseman does in the draft? Didn't think so. That still doesn't mean the offseason losses won't hurt the Super Bowl champs. 3. Detroit Lions The Lions' season hinges on being healthy after a year where everyone and anyone was injured. Tyleik Williams will give size and depth to the defense. The biggest thing in Detroit is not having players on IR. The Lions still have upside though they have gained used a lot of it up in the past few years. 2. Buffalo Bills The fact is the Bills are light years better than the rest of their division. They still have to figure out how to be better than the rest of the teams in the playoffs. 1. Baltimore Ravens How do they keep getting players like Malaki Starks and Mike Green? Is everyone else blind to their talent? Nah. The Ravens' front office is simply smarter than everyone. Derrick Henry, Lamar Jackson and the offense will continue to be unstoppable.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cam Ward Madden 26 player rating surprisingly low. Titans QB doesn't rank among top rookies
What gives, EA Sports? Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward does not rank anywhere near the top 10 rookies in the Madden 26 initial player ratings released by EA Sports on July 30. Ward's initial rating is a 72 overall, tops among the rookie quarterbacks but well off of Travis Hunter's 84 overall rating to lead all rookies. Ward ranks tied for 69th among all rookies, and his initial player rating is the lowest for a No. 1 overall pick in years in the annual video game. Bears QB Caleb Williams began last season at a 76 overall as the No. 1 pick. Ward is not even the highest rated Titans rookie in the game, with second-rounder Femi Oladejo coming in at a 74 overall. DEFENSE GETTING STRONGER: Is anything actually different about Tennessee Titans' defense in 2025? In a small way, yes Madden ratings can and will fluctuate during the season. Last year, Commanders QB Jayden Daniels opened as a 74 overall and moved up into the 80s by midseason. But 72 overall? Ward and the Titans have a long way to go to exceed public perception, and the initial Madden rating for the No. 1 pick is another example. EA Sports releases Madden 26, its annual NFL video game, on Aug. 14. Madden 26 top rookie ratings Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars: 84 overall Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders: 83 overall Abdul Carter, New York Giants: 81 overall Mason Graham, Cleveland Browns: 80 overall Will Campbell, New England Patriots: 79 overall Jalon Walker, Atlanta Falcons: 79 overall Kenneth Grant, Miami Dolphins: 78 overall Jahdae Barron, Denver Broncos: 78 overall Mykel Williams, San Francisco 49ers: 78 overall Maxwell Hairston, Buffalo Bills: 78 overall Madden 26 player ratings for Titans rookies Femi Oladejo: 74 overall Cam Ward: 72 overall Elic Ayomanor: 71 overall Kevin Winston Jr.: 70 overall Chimere Dike: 70 overall Kalel Mullings: 70 overall Xavier Restrepo: 69 overall Marcus Harris: 69 overall Jackson Slater: 69 overall Gunnar Helm: 67 overall This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Cam Ward Madden rating: Titans QB not among top rookies in rankings
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tennessee Titans live updates: News, highlights from NFL training camp practice Day 5
The Tennessee Titans return to the practice field July 30 for their fifth training camp practice of the 2025 preseason, putting quarterback Cam Ward, receiver Calvin Ridley, defensive tackles Jeffery Simmons and T'Vondre Sweat and more on the field for another day of prep. Practice on July 29 was the team's first in full pads, and it resulted in a fairly decisive win for the defense, at least in team periods. Defenders picked off Ward three times and forced a fumble, while the offensive line succumbed to fairly consistent pressure from Simmons and company. That said, the offensive line held an advantage in 1-on-1 pass rush drills against the defensive line and the offensive skill players fared well in 7-on-7 practice. The Titans opened camp on July 23 and have practiced three times since, including once in front of fans at Nissan Stadium. The buildup to training camp and the first week of it have been eventful, with quarterback Will Levis opting to have season-ending shoulder surgery, outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter retiring and receiver Treylon Burks being waived after injuring his shoulder in practice on July 26. The Titans will practice twice more this week — Saturday and Sunday. In Week 3, they will head to Tampa for their first joint practice session and their first preseason game. The Tennessean is on hand at Wednesday' practice and will be providing live updates. Follow along below for the latest news, color and happenings from training camp. ROSTER PROJECTION: Tennessee Titans roster projection: How 53-man depth chart looks after training camp Week 1 TITANS FAN SURVEY: What do you think of Brian Callahan? What about Cam Ward? Nissan Stadium? Vote in our fan survey! Tennessee Titans training camp practice updates today Quick Wednesday camp observations from Gentry Estes Calvin Ridley cramping late in practice As noted below, Calvin Ridley walked off the field after trainers checked on his lower right leg after pulling up in the final team period. Titans WR coach Tyke Tolbert said after practice that it was just cramping for the veteran receiver. Cam Ward, Titans offense in team period Today's 11-on-11 action: First drive: Cam Ward opens by missing an open Calvin Ridley before hitting Ridley on a RPO sidearm toss for a first-down gain. After that, Ward had back-to-back passes batted down near the line of scrimmage. (Femi Oladejo and Xavier Woods get credit for the PBUs.) As Brian Callahan noted earlier this AM, the ball is moving along as the offense progresses up the field to give a little more tempo to the proceedings. Red zone period: Cam Ward opens the red zone period with an interception to Roger McCreary after the ball was deflected by Cody Barton. He follows with an incompletion, with the pass broken up by Darrell Baker Jr. After a Tony Pollard carry, Ward is forced into a coverage "sack". Not a great sequence for the offense. Final team period: Calvin Ridley pulled up on the first play and walked off with team trainers. Ridley was limping but didn't need assistance. Trainers were looking at his lower right leg, and it shows all the signs of cramping late in the second padded practice of camp. From there, Chig Okonkwo had a drop and Ward completed a pass to Elic Ayomanor for a first-down gain. The period wraps with a Femi Oladejo "sack" of Ward. Cam Ward stats in Titans 7-on-7 Today's 7-on-7 action for Cam Ward: Back-to-back completions on short passes to tight ends Chig Okonkwo and David Martin-Robinson. Completion to Tyler Lockett up the seam. Short completions to Elic Ayomanor and Tyjae Spears (on a checkdown after a long time browsing). Incompletions to Jha'Quan Jackson and Calvin Ridley on vertical routes, with the Jackson incompletion on a drop. Short completion to new receiver Matt Landers on an out. Cam Ward, Calvin Ridley connect early in team period Cam Ward hits Calvin Ridley on a 30-yard completion despite double coverage on a corner route, the best of the early throws in team so far today. (No video highlights allowed during team periods, for what it's worth.) Cam Ward, QBs getting loose Brian Callahan press conference notes Brian Callahan on Cam Ward bouncing back from a not-good practice yesterday: "It's the name of the game." More Callahan: "You want guys to not have a governor on and not have to be worried about making mistakes, because that generally tends to be a pretty poor mindset to perform in." Callahan likes Ward's command of the offense but wants to improve the offense's tempo overall. It was a "pretty good day" for the offensive line overall in 1-on-1s on Tuesday, Callahan said. Callahan on Xavier Restrepo: "There's something about him as a football player that you can't measure, necessarily. He just has a knack for finding space and getting open, and the ball tends to find him." Restrepo made a big play on Tuesday. More Callahan on Restrepo: "X is kind of like Cam's shadow." Levis texted Callahan on Tuesday that everything went well with Levis' shoulder surgery. Blake Hance remains out for Wednesday's practice with a calf issue. Brian Callahan press conference stream Brian Callahan is scheduled to speak to the media at 7:40 a.m. ahead of practice on Wednesday. Watch it below. Tennessee Titans training camp schedule The Titans opened training camp on July 23. They have nine practices scheduled between the start of camp and the first preseason game on Aug. 9 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Titans will match up against the Bucs and the Atlanta Falcons for joint practices before preseason games and will end the preseason by hosting the Minnesota Vikings for a matchup on Aug. 22. When are Titans open practices? The open dates for fans at Titans practices throughout training camp can be found here. When are Titans joint practices? The Titans will battle Tampa Bay in joint practices on Aug. 7 and in Atlanta Aug. 12-13. Both joint practice sessions will be on the road. Titans preseason schedule The Titans play at Tampa Bay on Aug. 9 (6:30 p.m. CT), at Atlanta on Aug. 15 (6 p.m. CT) and against Minnesota on Aug. 22 (7 p.m. CT). The game against the Falcons will be broadcast on NFL Network and the Vikings game will be on CBS. Titans odds 2025 BetMGM gives the Titans +20,000 odds to win the Super Bowl, tied with the New York Giants for the longest odds in the league. The Titans have +800 odds to win the AFC South, with +425 to make the playoffs. Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@ Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin' Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Titans practice updates Day 5: News, highlights, Cam Ward stats
