Typically, you never want to take too much away from a preseason game, especially the preseason opener. After all, there's not really much pressure regarding the outcome, and it's the first time these players have seen competitive action in months. But that's not likely to stop Titans fans from expressing their concerns about Cam Ward's performance against the 49ers to open the preseason on Thursday.
Ward, who was the top NFL Draft pick in 2025, started for the Titans on Thursday, and despite only seeing a few drives worth of action, it was an alarming sight for Titans fans. Ward, who is expected to be the starter for the franchise this season, led a 95-yard touchdown drive for Tennessee.
But his overall numbers were less impressive, going just 5-for-12 for 57 yards and zero touchdowns, posting a 56.6 passer rating. He added just two rushing yards and was also penalized for intentional grounding.
GRADE CAM WARD'S PERFORMANCE VS. 49ers:
— SharmSports (@SharmSports) August 14, 2026
-5/12
-57 Yards
-0 Touchdowns
-0 Interceptions
-56.6 Passer Rating
-2 Rushing Yards
-Led 95-Yard TD Drive
-Intentional Grounding Penalty#Titans#TitanUppic.twitter.com/OqLDOlVHUn
Ward showed flashes of potential last season, but he was also far from exceptional. He passed for 3,169 yards, but managed just 15 touchdowns and also tossed seven interceptions – he posted an 80.2 passer rating and led the team to just three wins while starting all 17 games. So while fans weren't extremely concerned coming out of last season, there likely won't be much grace given to Ward.
It didn't take long for Tennessee fans to take to the internet to discuss Ward's efforts, with many unimpressed by what they saw. And while it's likely not time to hand the starting role to Mitch Trubisky, there is plenty of reason to be a bit worried about whether he's the right man for the job moving forward. Check out a few reactions from the internet to his performance below.
Ngl yall, Cam Ward isn’t looking the way I hoped tonight 😵💫
— Nico (@elitetakes_) August 14, 2026
Trotted Cam Ward out for a third drive in Week 1 of the preseason. He went 0/4 with a drop (one by the wide receiver we gave $20m a year), a dropped INT, and a horrible sack that got scratched by a holding call 20 yards downfield.
— Jake! (@JakeAndBall) August 14, 2026
Ready for another fall of sadness!
Cam Ward looks horrendous.
— Grant Cohn (@grantcohn) August 14, 2026
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Is Cam Ward's preseason opener performance a cause for concern?