Cam Ward makes strong statement on perceived rivalry with Shedeur Sanders

Coming into this year’s draft, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders were seen as in competition against one another with each trying to be the No. 1 pick. However, Ward said that’s never been their relationship.

Ward spoke about a possible rivalry between him and Sanders while on ‘Bussin’ With The Boys’ on Tuesday. He cleared any of that up in saying the two rookie quarterbacks are definitely friends.

“I don’t have a rivalry with him,” Ward clarified. “That’s my boy, so.”

Ward said this relationship with Sanders has been built over college, with both coming from the FCS to have success in the FBS, at Washington State and Miami as well as Colorado, respectively. That continued through the draft process, although it went much differently for Sanders than it did for Ward. Still, Ward has a lot of respect for him not just as a fellow quarterback but also as a person.

“At the end of the day, this whole process, we thought me and him were going to be one and two the whole time, whether he’s one, I’m two, whether he’s two, (I’m one). And so, that’s just always been, you know, our mindset,” said Ward. “It didn’t go that way. But, I mean, just coming out of college, to the draft, I thought he was one of the better quarterbacks in the draft as well, even throughout college. He’s been productive where he’s been every time.”

“We both started in the FCS. He was at, you know, Jackson State, I was at Incarnate Word and that’s where, really, we met for the first time, with our quarterback coach when we first got to college,” Ward continued. “He’s always been, you know, just a great person to be around. A lot of stuff out there on him ain’t really, you know, the truth, just because they spin it different ways like they spin stuff about me different ways. But, I mean, I’ve always thought he was a productive quarterback. I mean, a lot of people may have their own opinion. I have mine as well.”

Ward and Sanders now enter their rookie years in separate situations, one being the projected starter for the Titans and the other trying to stay on the depth chart for the Browns. Even so, after their seasons in Nashville and Cleveland, Ward can’t wait to compete with Sanders again next offseason on the practice field.

“When he gets his chance, you know, to become a starter, I know he’s going to make the most of it,” said Ward.

“And, you know, I’m ready to get back to work with him, you know, after the season,” Ward added. “You know, talk some more stuff to him, you know, say some crazy stuff. I mean, we’re just going to keep on pushing each other.