At the begining of the season, Cleveland Brown’s rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders didn’t know when he’d get his first NFL start. Tennesse Titans rookie, Cam Ward, meanwhile, has been the face of the Titan’s rebuild from the moment he was drafted first overall. Yet on Sunday, the two rookie quarterbacks — once training partners, now opponents — will meet on the same field in one of Week 14’s most intriguing matchups.
Both quarterbacks entered the league with different expectations and drastically different draft positions, but the connection between them runs deep. Before the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders and Ward shared the same private quarterback coach, Darrel Colbert Jr., training side-by-side in one of the most competitive pre-draft quarterback battles in recent memory.
The projected top 2 quarterbacks in the 2025 draft shedeur sanders and cam ward training together with @SelectQb 🔥🔥.
Who threw the better deep ball👀 pic.twitter.com/8pIcevSWdv
— Dalvinthetruth (@dalvinthetruth) January 24, 2025
Colorado football fans watched Sanders navigate that environment with the same calm, composed confidence he displayed in Boulder, while Ward ascended to the top of draft boards.
Now, with Sanders starting for the Cleveland Browns and Ward leading the Tennessee Titans, their paths cross again — this time with NFL stakes. Colorado Buffaloes fans will be watching close as Sanders looks to outshine the No. 1 pick in their first NFL matchup.
From Training Partners To NFL Starters
In the months leading up to the draft, Sanders and Ward built a friendship forged through competition. They threw together, drilled together, and pushed each other relentlessly — two quarterbacks with very different scouting projections but the same hunger to prove themselves.
Early mocks projected Sanders as a potential first-round pick before his slide during an unpredictable and heavily scrutinized draft cycle. Ward, coming off standout seasons at Miami, rocketed into the No. 1 overall selection held by Tennessee — chosen just ahead of Colorado’s Heisman-winning star Travis Hunter.
Sanders, meanwhile, waited until pick No. 144, landing in Cleveland as a fifth-rounder and fourth on the depth chart. For most rookies, that would’ve meant a developmental year. But in a season defined by injuries, trades, and opportunity, Sanders climbed the ladder quickly. After Kenny Pickett was traded to Las Vegas, Joe Flacco was dealt to Cincinnati, and third-round rookie passer Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion. Suddenly, the job was Sanders’.
And in two start’s despite limited practice time with the first team, he’s made the most of it.
Sanders through two starts has gone 27/45 (60 percent) throwing for 358 yards and 2 touchdowns with 1 interception, and despite heavy concerns about his failure to get rid of the ball, has only given up 4 sacks.
For comparison, Ward through his first two NFL starts, went 31/61 (50.8 percent) with 287 passing yards, one touchdown and no picks, but was sacked 11 times.
Shedeur And Ward Still Share Mutual Respect — And Competitive Fire
Despite the competitive nature of their pre-draft training, the two rookies remain close.
“Cam’s competitive — it’s always fun getting out there training with him,” Sanders said this week. “We both ended up getting drafted, went our separate ways… but it’s all love whenever we see each other.”
In Tennesee, Ward echoed the same mutual respect for the Colorado legend.
“Any time both of us are in the room, we’re always competitive,” Ward said. “We just both want to be great players… I think it’s going to be exciting for people to see what both of us can do.”
Despite the competitive nature of their friendship, Ward also showed genuine support for Sanders’ unexpected rise:
“I know he’s going to prove himself right every time he steps on the field,” Ward said. “We just gotta stay in that everyday mindset of getting better and not let bad outcomes dictate the next day.”
The Rookie Matchup
Both teams enter the week struggling — Tennessee at 1–11, Cleveland at 3–9 but are 1–1 with Sanders as the starter.
Where Ward may face his steepest challenge is handling the Browns’ pass rush and defensive end Myles Garrett.
Garrett enters Sunday’s matchup with 19 sacks, just four shy of the NFL’s single-season record (22.5). Tennessee’s offensive line, meanwhile, has surrendered a league-high 48 sacks — a brutal combination for a rookie quarterback still adjusting to NFL speed.
Sanders’ test will be different. He’ll look to build on the timing and poise he’s shown in his first two starts, continuing to grow into the leadership role that Colorado fans saw blossom during his time in Boulder.
For Buff Nation, Sunday offers something special: a first look at what could become one of the NFL’s most compelling young quarterback rivalries — one that began far from the bright lights, on training fields where Sanders and Ward learned to push each other toward greatness.
