Despite drafting Cam Ward first overall, Tennessee remains snubbed from the national spotlight. League officials insist the rebuilding roster must prove its worth on the field first.
The Tennessee Titans have had an interesting conundrum in the last two years.
They drafted Cam Ward No. 1 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft last year, and yet they didn't receive any prime-time games from the NFL.
Fans were hoping that would change in 2026 after Ward showed a lot of promise despite another 3-14 season. After the NFL schedule release, the Titans were shut out of prime-time games for the second consecutive year.
The Titans are among a handful of teams without a slot in those games, along with the Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins andNew York Jets.
It's been nearly 40 years since the last time a No. 1 overall pick was iced out of prime-time games. Ward is even going to be featured on the Netflix series "Quarterback," which debuts on July 14, but has never had a prime-time game.
We got an explanation from NFL Vice President Mike North on Friday, per Pro Football Talk's Myles Simmons.
It seems that the NFL doesn't value teams that draft exciting young prospects anymore when it comes to handing out prime-time games, and wants more proof on the field instead.
“Not to point fingers, but I think the best comp is probably Tennessee from last year," North said. "They drafted No. 1 overall, took a quarterback who looks like he can play in this league, [and] they didn’t happen to get a national television appearance last year, either. … We don’t draft our way into primetime. We play our way into primetime.”
This has to frustrate fans of the Raiders and Titans alike, who have both had No. 1 overall selections recently.
For the Raiders, they took Heisman winner and Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall, yet like the Titans, they aren't getting any prime-time games either.
Ward's arm talent is enough for the Titans to feel like they have found their quarterback of the future. He showcased it numerous times over the course of the 2025 season.
He would make throws that very few quarterbacks in the NFL could make with a high level of success.
Even after going through a head coaching change halfway through his rookie season, Ward shone. He led the NFL in touchdown-to-interception ratio from Weeks 10-18. He finished 2025 with 3,169 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
It seems the Titans are going to have to prove that they are worthy of prime-time games, much like the Cardinals, Raiders, Jets and Dolphins.
They have a promising quarterback in Ward, but he can only do so much if the team isn't winning.
