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Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward confirmed that he suffered a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder during his team's Week 18 blowout loss to the AFC South Division rival Jacksonville Jaguars while addressing reporters during the Titans' exit interviews on Monday (January 5), ESPN's Turron Davenport reports.
Ward, 23, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, underwent tests Monday hours after sustaining the injury during the first quarter of Sunday's loss and said he won't undergo surgery, acknowledging that he's relieved that the diagnosis isn't as severe as he initially feared.
"There is relief for myself, for the building and the training staff," Ward said via ESPN. "They are going to get it right, continue to walk me through the process [and] what I need to do to get better and get back on the field. I just need to heal."
Ward landed awkwardly on his right shoulder while diving into the end zone on a 7-yard touchdown run, which gave the Titans a 7-0 lead before giving up 41 unanswered points. The former University of Miami standout was the only NFL quarterback to have taken all his team's snaps through Week 17 and totaling 951 prior to the injury, which resulted in him having his right arm in a sling on the sideline during the second half.
Ward, who finished his rookie season with 540 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions on 323 of 540 passing, as well as 159 yards and two touchdowns on 39 rushing attempts, said he wasn't aware of his recovery and rehab timeline but said it wouldn't alter his offseason schedule.
"I'm working on my base of my mechanics; I'm not changing my throwing motion," Ward said via ESPN. "So the timetable for what I have set to get to mechanically [this offseason], what I need to do, is still on schedule."