NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The smile on Cameron Ward’s face mentioned all of it when requested what he needed to get his dad, Calvin, for Father’s Day.
“Searching for Father’s Day, that is the toughest buying to do,” Ward informed ESPN. “I imply what do you get for somebody who already has every little thing? I do not know what I’ll get him, as a result of he ain’t actually ask for s—.”
Having already paid to have his dad and mom’ home constructed final 12 months when he was in faculty at Miami, Ward struggled to give you a bodily reward for his dad. He laughed as he recalled gifting his dad an ATV for Christmas years in the past, when his mother, Patrice, had gotten him a mini NASCAR race observe.
Then the right thought got here to thoughts.
“I simply actually need to spend time with him,” Ward mentioned.
Time. That is the very best reward he might give.
The Tennessee Titans made Ward the No. 1 choose in April, hoping he might change into the reply at quarterback that that they had been looking for. He attributes his journey to his dad and mom, with sports activities being a staple of their family.
“I simply at all times had sports activities round me,” Ward mentioned. “I come from a sports activities background with my dad and my mother. I simply at all times needed to play skilled sports activities. I feel that was simply my calling.”
The Ward household, a close-knit group of 5, has bonded on many journeys — loading up the SUV and hitting the highway to attend varied sports activities camps. They began by going to camps at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, when Cameron was in fourth grade. He tagged alongside along with his two older sisters, Aaliyah and Chantel, who had been basketball gamers.
Calvin supported his son as he performed varied sports activities equivalent to basketball, soccer, baseball and even golf, however having been a former walk-on faculty quarterback at Houston, Calvin taught his son the game he knew greatest when Cameron was 8 years outdated — establishing nets within the yard to throw into.
“Cameron fell in love with the exercises,” Calvin mentioned. “From a younger age he was at all times like, ‘I need to be an expert athlete in one thing.’ My philosophy was at all times to play as many sports activities as you need. The highway would finally slender by itself.”
THE PROCESS OF getting observed by faculties wasn’t straightforward, however Cameron leaned on his dad all through his taking part in days at West Columbia Excessive College, which is about an hour exterior of Houston.
Taking part in in a run-heavy Wing T offense restricted his passing alternatives, as he tried 267 passes for two,261 yards in three years. To place that into perspective, Hudson Card — the No. 1-ranked quarterback within the state for the 2020 class in response to the ESPN 300 (No. 40 total) — tried 216 passes in 9 video games throughout his senior 12 months, in response to Max Preps, and 369 passes in 15 video games as a junior.
Calvin emailed faculty coaches throughout his son’s junior 12 months in hopes of getting the zero-star recruit his first supply. He sought out different dad and mom whose children went to the NFL for recommendation on find out how to get extra publicity.
He didn’t need to be a mum or dad who felt his son was higher than everybody else, so he targeted on getting suggestions to make his son higher.
“I trusted the dad and mom that I talked to that may have had children that been by way of [this],” Calvin mentioned, “[telling them], ‘I want you to be lifelike about my son. He needs to play on a better degree. I do not want you to sugarcoat something with me.'”
Among the suggestions was to work on his footwork by incorporating soar ropes into his drills. In addition they labored on agility.
“It wasn’t a lot about chasing a scholarship per se, it was simply chasing enchancment,” Calvin mentioned.
In addition they took highway journeys to soccer camps in hopes of getting Cameron on the radar of faculties. A kind of journeys referred to as for a 3 a.m. wake-up to depart by 5 a.m. for a six-hour journey to East Texas Baptist College, solely to return house the identical day.
“That is spectacular dedication to serving to his son,” Titans coach Brian Callahan mentioned of Calvin chauffeuring his son throughout Texas simply to offer him an opportunity to be observed.
Throughout these highway journeys, they talked about extra than simply life. Though they did not like the identical music genres, they discovered frequent floor by listening to native radio stations. The journeys offered alternatives for Cameron to ask about his grandparents and what life was like rising up for his dad, so Calvin shared his perception.
“My dad and mom was like, ‘Hey, we do not care about soccer, basketball or no matter. You higher get them grades,'” Calvin mentioned.
“These are issues I need to put in your life as a result of these are issues I needed to do as a child that I did not get to do.”
That is one purpose why it was necessary for Calvin to verify his son obtained to attend as many camps as potential.
“I’ll knock on each door, and you already know, finally certainly one of these doorways going to open,” Calvin mentioned.
A watch-opening weekend got here after they drove simply over two hours to Faculty Station for Texas A&M’s camp. A&M was Cameron’s most well-liked faculty, so his dad made positive to get him there.
He obtained to compete with a number of high-profile quarterbacks — together with four-star prospect Haynes King from Longview Excessive College in Texas, who was ranked No. 46 within the ESPN 300 for the 2020 class. He would go on to decide to the Aggies.
“Everybody knew that Cameron out-threw all of these guys,” Calvin mentioned. “However King received state championship his junior 12 months and then you definitely had Cameron Ward that do not no one knew of and you bought one scholarship. So who do you assume a scholarship’s going to go to?”
The journey continued the following day after they drove to San Antonio for Incarnate Phrase’s satellite tv for pc camp. In keeping with Calvin, the camp began at 1 p.m. however the teaching employees “shut it down at 2 p.m.” as a result of the college’s offensive coordinator, Mack Leftwich, needed to cover his future quarterback from different colleges that had entry to the camp.
“I am like, ‘What the heck is occurring?'” Calvin recalled. “It took us three and a half hours to drive there. They did not need no different colleges to see Cameron as a result of they picked up how his arm expertise was totally different.”
The ultimate straw got here when Cameron drove a move from the other hash marks to a receiver working a comeback route towards the sideline. Leftwich informed the Ward household they ended the camp as a result of they had been nervous that he “would not be out there” after different colleges noticed him throw.
“Cameron checked out me and was like, ‘What’s he speaking about? We’re not listening to from anybody,'” Calvin mentioned with amusing.
The journey was price it. Cameron obtained a suggestion from Incarnate Phrase head coach Eric Morris, and he would find yourself there for the 2020 season to start his faculty profession.
CAMERON SHOWED PROMISE early at Incarnate Phrase, the place he received the Jerry Rice Award given to probably the most excellent freshman within the NCAA Division I Soccer Championship Subdivision. He adopted that up with 4,648 passing yards, 47 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as a sophomore and was named the Southland Convention Offensive Participant of the Yr.
Now colleges that ignored him popping out of highschool had been exhibiting curiosity.
“OK, dude, we’ve got choices we ain’t had earlier than,” Calvin informed his son. “Let’s be affected person and verify a few of these out.”
However they remained loyal, and Cameron adopted Morris to Washington State for his junior 12 months in 2022 earlier than finally ending up at Miami for his closing season.
It was a giant choice on condition that Incarnate Phrase was inside driving distance from the Ward household’s house.
Now, Calvin needed to drive somewhat over an hour to Houston Passion Airport earlier than even hopping on a aircraft to see his son play, however Cameron’s dad and mom by no means missed seeing him play.
“All 57 video games,” Calvin mentioned when requested what number of of Cameron’s video games they attended, which included 25 with Washington State and 13 extra with Miami.
Calvin feels certainly one of Cameron’s greatest exams got here earlier than the 2023 season when Morris left Washington State to take over as the top coach at North Texas.
“That was the 12 months that made him,” Calvin mentioned. “As a result of the entire narrative was that he was a product of Eric Morris’ system.”
With out Morris, Cameron needed to show he was a premier quarterback no matter what offense he was taking part in in.
“OK, guess what? Morris is gone now,” Calvin mentioned. “Your system is gone now. Now it is Cameron Ward.”
The long run No. 1 choose accomplished 66% of his passes for 3,736 yards, 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions, which arrange one other large choice: declare for the NFL draft or play one other season of faculty soccer?
WITNESSING NFL COMMISSIONER Roger Goodell calling his son’s identify on draft day was simply Calvin’s proudest second.
“Cameron going No. 1, that is nonetheless surreal to me, understanding how he obtained there,” Calvin mentioned. “It was like a dream understanding your son is the No. 1 quarterback.”
It additionally units up what Cameron mentioned is the very best recommendation he has gotten from his dad who informed him that is his one alternative to play within the NFL and “to not f— it up.”
“[My dad] would not let me take no for a solution,” Cameron mentioned. “That is what stored me regular all through the entire course of understanding that I am going to finally get a suggestion, however he simply always motivated me. He always informed me the journey is rarely going to be straightforward.”
When Cameron contemplated going professional after his fourth 12 months in faculty, he leaned on his dad — who suggested him to not rent an agent so there was no confusion regarding his eligibility.
“My dad and mom actually let me make my very own choices,” Cameron mentioned. “However they provide me totally different angles to take a look at it. They see it from their standpoint then in addition they obtained to see it from the opposite individual’s standpoint as nicely.”
He determined to forego the draft to raised his inventory for 2025 earlier than transferring to Miami.
He made a giant assertion in his debut with the Hurricanes, throwing for 385 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-17 win over certainly one of their greatest rivals, and Calvin cherished each little bit of it.
“That Florida recreation,” Calvin mentioned, “all of the discuss — ‘Oh, he hasn’t performed on this measurement of a stadium’ — they did not know what was [about] to hit them as a result of they did not know him. He does not care about all of that. Cameron simply needs to go play soccer.”
Cameron handed for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns final season — each Miami single-season information. He additionally received the Davey O’Brien Award, given to the nation’s prime quarterback, and completed fourth in voting for the Heisman Trophy. He set the profession mixed FCS (71) and FBS (87) report with 158 landing passes. The efficiency helped cement him as the highest quarterback within the draft.
“His journey I feel is de facto distinctive and funky,” Callahan mentioned. “A number of it comes from how he was raised. All of the stuff you see from his dad and mom making an attempt to pour into him and provides him all of the alternatives to succeed I feel is admirable, and I feel it paid off for him.”
Quick-forward, and the primary impression the rookie has made with the Titans is an effective one. Whether or not it is having the rookie move catchers meet with him for movie research at 5 a.m. or pulling a veteran apart after a missed rep, Cameron has already began to have an effect.
If Cameron’s profession for the Titans is as profitable as his faculty profession was, Tennessee’s quest to search out its franchise quarterback might be fulfilled.
Armed with a newly signed contract price $48.7 million, Cameron can provide his dad no matter he needs for Father’s Day. However above all else, Cameron simply needs to offer him thanks.
“Thanks for on a regular basis you place in for me and my siblings,” he mentioned when requested about his Father’s Day message. “The cash that you just put in and all of the behind-the-scenes stuff from the emailing coaches to place my face on the market and get me an opportunity to be who I’m right this moment. Simply know that I am making an attempt to do my half and create a legacy for our final identify.”
