New Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll doesn't seem to have all that much interest in changing Cam Ward.
The Titans formally introduced Daboll as their offensive coordinator on Feb. 18, and questions about his second-year quarterback dominated the afternoon. As New York Giants coach in 2025, Daboll thoroughly studied and pursued Ward.
That included visits in Miami. Visits in New York. Visits at the combine. Dinners with Daboll, Ward and Ward's family. Interest was certainly high, and Daboll lists Ward as one of the primary reasons he chose the Titans' offensive coordinator vacancy over the roughly 20 others he could've pursued.
Ward, the Titans' No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, was hardly perfect as a rookie. He ranked outside the top 30 in passer rating, yards per attempt, QBR and success rate while leading the league in sacks absorbed and ranking last among regular starters in touchdown rate. Former Titans coaches like Brian Callahan, Mike McCoy and Bo Hardegree spoke regularly about how Ward needed to get better at playing within the system, get better at taking what the defense gives him and rely less on his hero-ball inclinations when easy plays were available to him.
Daboll isn't talking the same way. If anything, he's emphasizing the out-of-structure moments as Ward's allure, not the sideshow.
"We’ve got a lot of work to do with everybody, but he’s a young, athletic quarterback who has accuracy," Daboll says. "He can make plays on the move. He can do a great job if the play doesn’t look great and then all of the sudden it looks great because of his ability. He’s smart."
When asked about Ward's unconventional footwork and throwing motion, Daboll said he's "comfortable" with Ward's mechanics. Daboll says he's watched all of Ward's tape dating back to his college years at Washington State and Miami, on top of the game tape from Ward's rookie year. While Daboll dodged any and all questions about specific schematic plans, saying it's too early for any strategies to be finalized, he says he's had a few run-ins with Ward while the quarterback has been in the building rehabbing his shoulder injury and that, "April can't come soon enough" so the installation process can begin in earnest.
Daboll's no stranger to quarterback development. From 2018-21 he was Josh Allen's offensive coordinator in Buffalo, helping groom Allen from a raw, unpolished prospect into a future MVP and perennial playoff contender. Daboll distanced the comparisons between Ward and Allen, saying every quarterback has to be treated differently.
But the offensive coordinator did share a few examples of why he's drawn to Ward.
"I think he’s got some moxie to him," Daboll said. "He’s tough. He holds himself to a high standard which is important for that position. Everybody’s going to look to that position to be the leader of the group. I wasn’t around him last year. I’ve only seen him a few times here or there when he’s going through those treatments.
"I’ve got a lot that I’ve got to dive into. But the meetings leading up to the draft process, the communication that we had, the kind of personalities that we have, that was a good fit."
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at [email protected]. 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: Why Cam Ward? Brian Daboll details what draws him to Titans young QB