The 2025 pre-draft process introduced the NFL world to the competitive dynamic between Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. In the spring, we saw viral videos of the two rookie quarterbacks and close friends talking smack to each other throughout workouts with their trainer, Darrell Colbert Jr.
“Cam’s competitive,” Sanders said Wednesday. “It’s always fun getting out there, training with him.”
They’ll compete as NFL starting quarterbacks for the first time on Sunday, when the Browns host the Titans (1 p.m. ET on FOX). Ward has started all season for Tennessee, while Sanders will be making his third start for Cleveland.
The last time their teams played each other was in 2023, when Ward’s Washington State Cougars took down Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes. Sanders left that game in the second quarter with an injury.
Early in the draft process, they were considered the top two quarterbacks, with both being projected as the potential No. 1 pick. But while Ward went first overall, Sanders tumbled to the fifth round, where the Browns selected him at No. 144. The former Colorado star wound up being the sixth quarterback taken in the draft and the second by Cleveland, which also selected Dillon Gabriel in the third round.
Miami quarterback Cam Ward celebrates after being the first overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
While Ward and Sanders don’t talk regularly, they share a bond.
“He knows I’m here anytime,” Ward said this week. “I’ll probably say the start of the season was the last time we spoke. It’s just more of we know at the end of the day if something is going crazy, we know who we got out there in our circle. … I’m always going to be there for my guy. I know he’s going to be there for me.”
Said Sanders: “It’s all love whenever we see each other.”
So what will we see on Sunday?
“I just think it’s going to be exciting for a lot of people to be able to see what both of us will be able to do when we play at a high level,” Ward said.
Will that happen on Sunday? With Ward and Sanders set to face off, here’s a snapshot of where they’re at and what to expect moving forward:
Ward’s Outlook
Stats (12 games): 59.7% completion rate for 2,351 yards and seven touchdowns with six interceptions and a 75.2 passer rating
Ward has endured a rough rookie season for a Titans team mired in dysfunction. Tennessee, which fired coach Brian Callahan after six games, is winless under interim Mike McCoy (0-6) and has the league’s worst record at 1-11.
Ward has flashed on several occasions — notably, a game-winning drive against the Cardinals and moments of brilliance against some of the league’s best defenses, including the Broncos, Rams, Seahawks and Texans. But holding the ball too long, footwork inconsistencies and missed throws have been themes throughout his rookie campaign. The No. 1 pick has been sacked a league-high 48 times for 362 lost yards, also a league-high.
Ward was sacked three times against the Jaguars in Week 13, adding to his league-leading total. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images)
Conservative playcalling, uneven offensive line play, a bad run game (the Titans are second-worst in rushing offense) and one of the league’s worst receiving corps certainly haven’t helped. Tennessee ranks last in the NFL in scoring (14.2 points per game) and total offense (242.4 yards per game).
Ward has also had two different playcallers through 12 games — Callahan for the first three games and quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree for the past nine.
“It’s for sure testing [me],” Ward mentioned Sunday of the crew’s struggles. “However , to win you bought to lose. So, on the finish of the day, simply proceed to get higher, attempt to not make the identical errors every day. However finally, the storm’s going to finish. And all of us within the locker room? We’ll bear in mind this second, we’ll bear in mind the blokes on the crew this yr, and we’ll be excited for the long run.”
Whereas final week’s 25-3 loss to Jacksonville marked a step again, Ward has largely proven progress all through the season.
When alternatives don’t open up downfield, he’s been extra keen to test the ball down and scramble for additional yards. In Weeks 11 and 12, Ward scrambled on 19.4% of his dropbacks, up from 14.2% over the primary 9 weeks, in response to Subsequent Gen Stats.
His ball safety has additionally improved. After throwing an interception in six straight video games (Weeks 3-8), he hasn’t had a decide over his previous 4 appearances. He has only one misplaced fumble previously 5 video games, too.
Over the previous six video games, Ward has accomplished 64.3% of his passes for 208.3 yards per recreation, 6.0 yards per try, an 82.8 passer ranking and a 4-2 TD-INT ratio. In his first six video games, he had a 55.0% completion price for 183.5 yards per recreation, 5.5 yards/try, a 67.3 passer ranking and 3-4 TD-INT ratio.
“I am massive on outcomes. So, win or loss is the one factor I care about,” Ward mentioned. “Don’t matter the way it will get executed, whether or not one aspect of the ball is enjoying [well] and the opposite aspect is not, or particular groups wins the sport for us. But it surely comes down to only successful video games.”
Sanders’ Outlook
Stats (3 video games): 50.8% completion price for 405 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions and a 69.4 passer ranking
The analysis course of for Sanders is simply starting.
Gabriel’s concussion in Week 11 vs. the Ravens paved the best way for Sanders to make his debut within the second half of that recreation and get the beginning the next week in opposition to the Raiders. The previous Colorado star struggled in aid in opposition to Baltimore, however the promise he confirmed in opposition to Las Vegas after his first week of follow with Cleveland’s first-team offense — 209 passing yards and a landing with an interception — purchased him one other begin at the same time as Gabriel cleared protocol. Sanders turned the primary Browns quarterback to win his first profession begin since 1995.
In Week 12 in opposition to the Raiders, Shedeur Sanders as a result of the primary Browns quarterback to win his first profession begin in 30 years. (Picture by Ian Maule/Getty Photos)
His second begin didn’t go as nicely, although. After punctuating a promising first half final week in opposition to the Niners with a 34-yard landing cross to fellow rookie Harold Fannin Jr., Sanders failed to steer the Browns to a scoring drive within the last two quarters as they fell 26-8.
“This crew shouldn’t be going to be a microwave factor,” he mentioned Sunday.
In a small pattern measurement, although, Sanders seems to present Cleveland — which ranks twenty ninth in scoring (16.2 factors per recreation) and thirty first in complete offense (258.0 yards per recreation) — extra upside within the passing recreation than Gabriel. Sanders’ 52-yard cross to Isaiah Bond within the first quarter of the Browns’ Week 12 victory over the Raiders traveled 42 air yards, Cleveland’s longest completion since 2023, per NGS.
However practically 1 / 4 of Sanders’ passes have been thrown behind the road of scrimmage (24.6%). His tendency to carry the ball too lengthy — a problem in school — has already proven up in his 135 NFL snaps as nicely. He’s misplaced a median of 10.6 yards on his six sacks.
Sanders averaged a 3.37-second time to throw in opposition to San Francisco, the longest by a Browns quarterback over the previous three seasons, in response to Subsequent Gen Stats. That helped the Niners to a 36.7% strain price, their second-highest of 2025.
After serving as a Browns backup for the primary 9 video games of the season, Sanders is concentrated on simply staying on the sector.
“Within the midst of every little thing that’s happening – wins, losses, something — I bear in mind once I wasn’t enjoying,” Sanders mentioned. “So I always remember that feeling. I attempt my finest to not let that occur once more, for me to be in that place.”
Trying Ahead
On Ward
The Titans are dedicated to constructing round Ward for the lengthy haul. The primary order of enterprise can be discovering the suitable coach to develop him and set up a brand new tradition in Tennessee, which has been unraveling for 3 years.
Personnel-wise, every little thing round Ward have to be revamped. The Titans not solely want a No. 1 receiver — Calvin Ridley, who suffered a season-ending damaged leg in Week 11, by no means crammed the function as hoped — but additionally should construct out their depth on the place. They need to be available in the market for an RB1 too, as lead working again Tony Pollard is a minimize candidate. Heart Lloyd Cushenberry has no assured cash left on his contract after this season and proper guard Kevin Zeitler is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent, so count on tweaks on the offensive line as nicely.
The Titans have to rebuild round Ward, together with within the working recreation the place RB1 Tony Pollard is averaging simply 48.5 speeding yards per recreation. (Picture by Jeff Dean/Getty Photos)
On Sanders
Head coach Kevin Stefanski was noncommittal when requested if Sanders would begin for the remainder of the season. But it surely is smart for the Browns, on the verge of elimination from playoff rivalry, to present the fifth-round decide an prolonged look down the stretch.
Cleveland have to be positive of what it has at quarterback earlier than the spring. Veteran QB Deshaun Watson, who hasn’t performed since October 2024 on account of a torn Achilles, is lastly returning to follow. The 30-year-old Watson has one season remaining on a five-year, $230 million deal that has been a catastrophe for Cleveland.
The Browns have two first-round picks in 2026, because of the draft-day deal they made final yr with the Jaguars, to doubtlessly pursue a brand new franchise quarterback.
Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand labored for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Community, the place he was the Titans beat author for a yr and a half. He lined the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for 3 seasons (2018-20) previous to transferring to Tennessee. You possibly can comply with Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.
Need nice tales delivered proper to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports activities account, and comply with leagues, groups and gamers to obtain a personalised publication day by day!
