Cam Ward has a tough night against 49ers backups
Titans quarterback Cam Ward went 5-of-12 for 57 yards across three series in Thursday's preseason opener against the 49ers, struggling against a backup defense.
The 2025 No. 1 overall pick did not look the part Thursday night. Cam Ward had a tough outing against the San Francisco 49ers' backup defense in the Titans' preseason opener, going 5-of-12 for 57 yards with a 56.6 passer rating across three series.
Ward managed just 2 yards on one carry, took an intentional grounding penalty, and nearly threw an interception. His longest completion was an 18-yard catch-and-run to Calvin Ridley.
There were some positives amid the struggles. Ward directed an 11-play, 95-yard opening drive that was capped by Tony Pollard's 5-yard touchdown run. But the final two drives of his night were inauspicious — the Titans totaled just 10 plays for 26 yards on those series.
Backup Mitchell Trubisky replaced Ward with 3:55 remaining until halftime.
The performance was a reminder that the Titans' second-year quarterback, coming off a rookie season in which he completed 59.8 percent of his passes for 3,169 yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions, still has work to do as the franchise builds around him.
Preseason results carry limited weight, but the uneven night in Santa Clara gives Tennessee something to clean up as the team looks ahead to the regular season.