NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Humility.
Warren Moon brought it up when I asked about the biggest challenge facing Cam Ward against the pressures of major expectations as the No. 1 pick in the draft.
The Hall of Fame quarterback didn’t start with physical skills, work ethic or playbook study – all of which are obviously important – but instead went straight to the character trait in assessing what the Tennessee Titans rookie needs to project.
“The biggest thing is being himself, being who he has been his whole journey, which is, he seems pretty humble, which I think you need to be as a quarterback,” Moon told USA TODAY Sports, shortly after presenting Ward with a suddenly “unretired” No. 1 jersey during a ceremony on Friday afternoon at the team’s headquarters.
“We’re seeing right now another quarterback who if he showed a little bit more of that perception, he might have been drafted yesterday.”
Moon didn’t mention Shedeur Sanders by name, but it was a handy reference – Sanders’ slide to Day 3 has been the biggest story of the draft, dwarfing Ward’s rags-to-riches ascent to the top spot – while making a point about Tennessee’s Great New Hope.
“I think he shows that,” Moon added of Ward’s humility. “He shows work ethic and when he gets out on the field and in the classroom, I think he’ll earn the respect of his teammates. And once that comes, that’s when you start forming that great bond that adds up to success. It’s a process for a young quarterback.”
Ward, 22, has certainly made distinct impressions for down-to-earth leadership, as he navigated through three colleges in five seasons, finishing up with a banner 2024 season at the University of Miami. But on the humility meter, there was one thing he said about Moon – amid glowing praise, mind you – that gave me pause.
A few weeks ago, Ward called Moon and asked if he could wear the No. 1 jersey that the franchise effectively retired nearly 30 years ago to honor the legendary passer. Moon passed for 49,325 yards and 435 touchdowns in 17 NFL seasons. Before that, he threw for 21,228 yards and 144 TDs over six seasons in the Canadian Football League.
“Before I called him, I made sure I watched his highlights to make sure he was legit,” Ward said. “So, he was. He was legit.”
Moon legit? Ward undoubtedly has some sense of humor.
I think. Ward was a zero-star recruit coming out of high school but rose to the top of the draft. Moon was the 1978 Rose Bowl MVP for the University of Washington who was forced to play in Canada because NFL teams wouldn’t allow him to compete as a quarterback.
Two men, two generations, two journeys with unique adversities.
When I asked Ward if Moon’s football journey resonated with him, he said: “A little bit I would say. I also think it was a different time, too. The game’s progressed many years. There’s a lot of plays I’ve seen, he’s doing five-step drops…and they’re running the quick game. That’s not what we’re doing nowadays.”
Ward didn’t mention anything about any inspiration from Moon’s journey – which led to him becoming the first Black quarterback inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame — or his resilience in the face of NFL rejection.
Memo to Cam: Watch the riveting three-part documentary on Amazon Prime, Evolution of The Black Quarterback, hosted by Michael Vick. The treatment of Moon’s saga is among the best segments of the entire series, so pivotal to the big picture theme.
No, Ward wasn’t rejected by the NFL. But you’d think he could relate to Moon, different generation or not, given the rejection from several major colleges that snubbed him coming out of Columbia High School in West Columbia, Texas.
Besides, Calvin Ward has told his son about Moon’s significance with the Houston Oilers. The Wards lived about an hour’s drive south of Houston, and Calvin remembers how Moon, the rare Black NFL quarterback in the 1980s, was hailed as a hero in the Black community in south Texas.
“I told him how important Warren Moon was as a Black quarterback,” Calvin Ward told USA TODAY Sports. “Quite honestly, he should’ve been in the NFL way before.”
Cam asked his father if he could connect him with Moon, as he sought permission to wear the No. 1 jersey that Moon wore for the Oilers. Calvin got ahold of the number, texted Moon and arranged the call.
Know that Moon is practicing what he preaches about humility. No, it is hardly automatic that a legendary player will relinquish a retired number.
Ask Abdul Carter. The former Penn State edge rusher, drafted third overall by the New York Giants on Thursday night, thought it would be a good idea to make the request to Lawrence Taylor to wear No. 56.
Think again.
According to the New York Post, Taylor’s responded as follows: “Get another number — I don’t care if it’s double zeroes — and then make it famous.”
Shedeur Sanders’ dramatic NFL draft slide seems deeper than pure football
Moon, on the other hand, told Ward he would give the request some thought. It marked the third time that Moon was approached to relinquish the number. Of course, he twice rejected the requests. This time, after discussing the matter with Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk, he made a final decision about a day before the Titans made their selection of Ward official. Moon said Ward’s request was different because he was a quarterback and had roots on the outskirts of Houston.
“It wasn’t easy,” Moon said of his decision. “When you think about your legacy and the things you established when you were playing, you want to make sure those things continue. As I looked at it, it was a Houston Oilers jersey that I played in. He’s playing in a Tennessee Titans jersey, even though we’re all part of the same organization.”
The franchise moved from Houston in 1997 and was renamed the Titans in 1999.
“Nobody has ever worn that number for the Tennessee Titans,” Moon added. “So, he has a chance to create a great legacy for that number. When I started thinking about it, it was two different uniforms, two different cities, two different fan bases, made it easier for me to do.”
That it is Ward who is the franchise’s new No. 1 matters, too. Moon watched the quarterback in college, particularly during his two seasons at Washington State, when he gave Moon’s UW alma mater fits. And all that Moon has heard about Ward’s character and the influence of his family, makes him proud of the rookie.
Moon said, “I just have a lot of respect for him.”
Which represents yet another layer of humility.
Follow Jarrett Bell on social media: @JarrettBell