In the second half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl against the Iowa State Cyclones, Miami Hurricanes quarterback and top NFL Draft prospect Cam Ward decided to sit out. As a result, social media has been quite harsh on the young quarterback, with many individuals detailing their belief that Ward should have played the whole game. Meanwhile, former NFL QB Robert Griffin III has come to the defense of the Hurricanes’ star.
Miami lost the game 42-41 in a shootout. However, at halftime, the Hurricanes had a 31-28 lead. Prior to departing, Ward threw for 190 passing yards and three passing touchdowns.
What Did Robert Griffin III Say About Cam Ward?
In a post released to X (formerly known as Twitter), RGIII detailed how he supported Ward’s decision to sit out the remainder of the game and highlighted how the same people criticizing his choice to sit out would be the same ones criticizing him if he had stayed in the game and gotten hurt.
“Same people criticizing Cam Ward for sitting out the 2nd half of the Pop Tarts Bowl, would be saying how dumb it was for him to play if he got hurt. He didn’t have to play AT ALL. Instead he gave us a half of jaw dropping plays. Stop villainizing these student athletes,” he stated.
Same people criticizing Cam Ward for sitting out the 2nd half of the Pop Tarts Bowl, would be saying how dumb it was for him to play if he got hurt. He didn’t have to play AT ALL. Instead he gave us a half of jaw dropping plays. Stop villainizing these student athletes.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) December 29, 2024
Ward’s 2025 NFL Draft Projection
Despite not playing the full game, that decision will not impact Ward’s NFL Draft stock in any case.
Pro Football Network’s Alex Kennedy projected that Ward would be selected No. 4 overall by the Tennessee Titans in his latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft.
As Kennedy notes, “Will Levis was recently benched for Mason Rudolph after regressing during his sophomore season, throwing for just 1,916 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 11 games. In PFN’s QB+ metric, Levis is the No. 34-ranked quarterback with a 61.4 (D-) grade this season. Now, the Tennessee Titans will likely be looking for a quarterback early in the draft.
“If the current draft order holds, they might land Cam Ward. The playmaking QB has displayed his creation capacity and big-play potential, and he has improved his leadership, accuracy, and ball security. He has also progressed as a pocket operator and field general, operating more frequently pre-snap and playing with more decisiveness and efficiency on multiple levels.
“Ward is undeniably talented, making some of the hardest throws look effortless. His elite composite arm talent allows him to layer passes into incredibly tight windows. He’s a danger as a passer from any platform, inside or outside of structure, and his arm elasticity is perfectly attuned to the modern game.”