Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward experienced a frustrating start to his first home game of the 2025 season. After slipping on the synthetic turf during a crucial play that led to a sack and a fumble in Sunday’s 33-19 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Ward openly questioned the decision to switch from grass.
“We practice on grass. Why don’t we play on grass?” he asked, via John Glennon of the Nashville Post, pointing to the contrast between practice conditions and game-day realities.
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Nissan Stadium switched from natural grass to synthetic turf in 2023 due to the difficulty of maintaining a high-quality grass field year-round in Nashville’s climate. The NFL currently has an even split between stadiums with grass and those with artificial turf, a point of debate as some players argue turf is slicker and may lead to more injuries. The Titans’ new 60,000-seat stadium, scheduled to open in 2027, will also feature a turf field, a move that could continue to frustrate Ward.
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Unbowed by the team’s 0-2 start, Ward has posted some impressive early-career statistics. He is the first No. 1 overall draft pick to throw zero interceptions in his first two career starts and one of only five quarterbacks in the past 20 seasons to attempt over 60 passes without an interception in the first two games, joining C.J. Stroud, Mac Jones, Carson Wentz, and Dak Prescott.
In the two games, Ward has completed 31 of 61 passes for 287 yards and one touchdown while being sacked 11 times and pressured on 45.3% of his dropbacks. His Week 2 touchdown came on a highlight-reel throw to Elic Ayomanor, where Ward avoided pressure and rolled to his right to complete the pass across his body.
The Titans face a formidable challenge this Sunday as they host the 2-0 Indianapolis Colts in their first divisional matchup of the season. The Colts, led by quarterback Daniel Jones, have accounted for five total touchdowns through the first two weeks and remain undefeated.
Tennessee hasn't been at its best at home, losing five straight games at Nissan Stadium and eight consecutive regular-season contests overall dating back to 2024. Ward’s development will be seminal if the Titans hope to snap their losing streak and gain traction in the AFC South.