Coral Gables, Fla. — Cam Ward had a message for the Tennessee Titans on Monday.
“I’m solidifying it today,” he said.
‘It’ would be the No. 1 pick in next month’s NFL draft. In a month, the now-former Miami Hurricanes quarterback will find out if that is indeed the case.
Knowing all eyes in the building were on him, Ward went through his entire repertoire of throws in a 45-minute session with representatives from all 32 NFL teams watching at Miami’s pro day: short, deep, slants, sideline routes, even some sidearm ones.
And the last play was a trick one – he caught a touchdown pass from receiver Xavier Restrepo, a play that Ward drew up himself to have some fun.
Ward put on a show. The ball is in Tennessee’s court now, as holders of the No. 1 overall pick.
“They finally got to see me throw in person. That should be all they need to see,” Ward said. “At the end of the day, if they want to give me the pick or not, I’m going to be happy with whatever team I go to. I just want to play football.”
Ward was the closing act at Miami’s pro day, with expectations growing that the Heisman Trophy finalist who rewrote the Hurricanes’ record book last season could be the first overall pick when the draft starts April 24.
Pro day was the first time Ward had thrown publicly since his college finale, a first-half appearance for Miami in the Pop-Tarts Bowl back in December. He didn’t throw at the NFL Combine last month, saying he wanted to wait until Miami’s pro day where he could throw to “the best receiving corps in the country.”
“He’s one of one,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said.
But will he be No. 1?
That’s up to the Titans to decide.
Tennessee sent what seemed like the entire front office to watch Ward. The list included football operations president Chad Brinker, head coach Brian Callahan, general manager Mike Borgonzi, assistant general manager Dave Ziegler, vice president and football advisor Reggie McKenzie, offensive coordinator Nick Holz and quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree.
Ward was even chatting with some of the Titans’ staff between throws, smiling as he walked away after dropping the “I’m solidifying it today” comment. He had more conversations with some members of the Titans’ contingent when the workout was over as well.
“I’m just excited to see where I’m going to end up, so I can finally learn the playbook,” Ward said.
Ward ended his college career with a Division I (FBS and FCS level) record 158 touchdown passes. His total of 18,189 passing yards – 6,908 at Incarnate Word, 6,968 at Washington State and 4,313 at Miami – is third-most in NCAA history behind only Case Keenum and Dillon Gabriel.
He rewrote Miami’s record book in 2024, his lone season with the Hurricanes. He left the school as Miami’s single-season leader in yards, completions (305), touchdown passes (39) and completion percentage both for a season and a career at 67.2%.
Ward’s rise was meteoric throughout college. He went to Incarnate Word as a zero-star recruit and wound up as the Atlantic Coast Conference’s offensive player of the year, an AP All-American – and quite possibly the No. 1 pick.
“Now the whole world’s looking at me,” Ward said.
Ward, barring something very surprising, would be the first Miami player taken in the first round of an NFL draft since Jaelan Phillips went 18th and Greg Rousseau went 30th in 2021. Ward would also be Miami’s first offensive player taken in a first round since tight end David Njoku in 2017 and could be Miami’s third No. 1 overall pick – joining quarterback Vinny Testaverde in 1987 and defensive lineman Russell Maryland in 1991.
Chiefs WR Worthy sues woman
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy sued his former girlfriend who accused him of attacking her, alleging the woman assaulted him and stole or destroyed more than $150,000 in cash and property.
Worthy filed the lawsuit Monday against Tia Jones in Williamson County, Texas, where the two lived and where Worthy played college football at the University of Texas.
Worthy was arrested earlier this month after Jones accused him of assaulting her, but the district attorney declined to file charges in that case after speaking to multiple witnesses.
In his lawsuit, Worthy alleges that Jones fabricated the allegations of abuse and that she became enraged after he asked her to move out of the home they were living in. He says in the lawsuit that Jones assaulted him, ripping out his hair, and destroyed his game room.
He also alleges that while he was in jail, Jones stole a handgun, $30,000 in cash, jewelry, a key to his Rolls Royce and other belongings.
An attorney for Jones, Angelica Cogliano, said Monday she had not seen the lawsuit and declined to comment.
Worthy is seeking between $250,000 and $1 million
“Plaintiff not only suffered bodily injuries and property damage as a result of this incident, but his credibility, veracity, and reputation suffered, and this narrative, although false, will always track his career and future in the NFL,” the suit states.
Worthy was chosen by the Chiefs with the 28th overall pick in last year’s draft after setting the record for the fastest 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. He got off to a quick start by scoring a pair of touchdowns in his NFL debut, and after a midseason lull, he became the Chiefs’ go-to wide receiver as they chased an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl title.
Worthy finished with 59 catches for 638 yards and six TDs while running 20 times for 104 yards and three more scores.
He was one of the few bright spots for the Chiefs in a 40-22 loss to Philadelphia in the Super Bowl, too. Worthy caught all eight of his targets for 157 yards and a pair of touchdowns at the Superdome in New Orleans.
Bears sign cornerback McCloud
The Chicago Bears signed cornerback and special teams contributor Nick McCloud to a one-year contract on Monday.
McCloud has played in 48 games and made 16 starts in four seasons with Cincinnati, the New York Giants and San Francisco. He has one interception and 10 passes defended in his career.
Chicago is set with Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson as starting cornerbacks and Kyler Gordon in the nickel slot. McCloud has played on at least 46% of his team’s special teams snaps each of the past three seasons. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2021 after playing at North Carolina State and Notre Dame.
Chicago finished last in the NFC North at 5-12. The Bears hired coach Ben Johnson in January after firing Matt Eberflus during the season.
Titans pick Slye as new kicker
The Tennessee Titans have signed six-year veteran Joey Slye as their new kicker, choosing not to bring back 40-year-old Nick Folk for a third season.
The Titans announced the deal Monday.
Slye has big shoes to fill with Folk leading the NFL in field goal percentage in each of the past two seasons making 96.7% of his kicks in 2023 and 95.5% in 2024. But Folk, who turns 41 in November, missed three games as the Titans went 3-14 last season.
Slye turns 29 on April 10. After playing at Virginia Tech, Slye started in the NFL in 2019 with the Carolina Panthers. In 2021, he kicked for three different teams starting with three games for the Houston Texans, three more with San Francisco and six with Washington. He made a career-long 63-yard field goal last season for New England and a 61-yarder in 2023 for Washington.
He has made 81.7% of his field-goal attempts for his career. Slye made 26 of his 41 attempts from 50 yards and out last season, missing only one extra-point attempt. Folk played 15 seasons with five teams.
The Titans already have changed punters, signing 17-year veteran and four-time Pro Bowler Johnny Hekker for Ryan Stonehouse, a former undrafted free agent who turned in the top two single-season gross punting averages in NFL history. Stonehouse also was first with a 52.2-yard average between 2022-24. Bringing in Hekker reunites him with new special teams coordinator John Fassel.
Tennessee also claimed linebacker Curtis Jacobs off waivers from New England.
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