"No one wanted him." How Ward let outsiders' doubt fuel his rise from a no-star recruit to becoming the future face of an NFL franchise.

The name Cam Ward has very different meanings in North Carolina's Research Triangle and the rest of the country. In Raleigh, N.C., he is forever the nerve center of the Carolina Hurricanes' 2006 Stanley Cup team—the rookie who backstopped his squad to the promised land.

While Tennessee has Will Levis, who started 12 games last season, it would be anything but surprising if Ward is the starter in Week 1 of the 2025 campaign. It's not as if Levis was excellent while going 2-10 with 13 touchdown passes to 12 interceptions in those 12 starts, and the Miami product brings a much higher ceiling.