Why Is Top QB Cam Ward Missing From Primetime? The Surprising Truth Revealed

It’s a curious twist — the Titans, fresh off snagging quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick, find themselves conspicuously absent from the primetime spotlight this season. Believe it or not, Tennessee is among a select trio of NFL teams without a single nationally televised night game lined up. The league’s own Mike North, NFL Vice President of Broadcast Planning and Scheduling, lays it out plainly: primetime spots aren’t given based on draft position; you’ve got to earn them. And with flexible scheduling still in play, the Titans will have a shot to grab that coveted national stage late in the season, provided they play well down the stretch against powerhouses like San Francisco and Kansas City. Yet, this scenario feels a bit off compared to recent years — the past two first overall picks, Bryce Young and Caleb Williams, clocked multiple primetime showings despite their teams’ struggles. History shows this kind of omission is rare, too—the last No. 1 pick without a rookie primetime game was Myles Garrett back in 2017, while for QBs, you have to go all the way back to Cam Newton’s debut in 2011. It sparks a debate: does performance on the field truly dictate primetime chances, or is there more to this scheduling puzzle than meets the eye? LEARN MORE

“We kind of have this adage that you play your way into primetime,” North told Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. “You don’t draft your way into primetime. So the Titans are one of the teams that don’t currently have a national television window assigned. But that’s what things like flexible scheduling are for. And if you look down the stretch for the Titans, they play San Francisco in Week 15, Kansas City in Week 16. They’ve got the same opportunity every other team has to play their way into a national window.”That’s all well and good, but the past two No. 1 overall picks — Bryce Young with Carolina in 2023 and Caleb Williams with Chicago in 2024 — had multiple night games as rookies despite both their teams coming off 7-10 seasons.The Titans used the No. 1 overall pick on quarterback Cam Ward. Yet, the Titans are one of only three teams not to have a primetime game.The last quarterback drafted No. 1 overall not to have a primetime game as a rookie was Cam Newton with Carolina in 2011.NFL Vice President of Broadcast Planning and Scheduling Mike North explained the league’s reasoning for shutting out the Titans.The last No. 1 overall pick not to have a primetime game was edge rusher Myles Garrett with Cleveland in 2017.