It’s a celebratory season for the Ward family! With one momentous occasion after the other, Cam Ward has his hands full. Labeled a zero-star recruit in high school, passed over by major college programs, and underestimated at nearly every level, Ward is in the national spotlight now. And, this is with his selection as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. Now, as Cam steps into a new era, he has a lot to prove. But before that, the young man took some time away from his offseason commitments due to a special event.

On Sunday, Chantel Ward, Cam’s older sister and former collegiate track and field athlete, announced her engagement in a heartwarming IG post. Tagging the location of the San Antonio River Walk, Chantel stood beside her now-fiancé, Alex Gould, as they smiled exuberantly in front of a balloon-adorned “MARRY ME” sign. Her caption said it all: “level: fiancé 💍.” Indeed, celebrations are due for the Ward family.

Cam and Chantel share a close bond. Back when Cam became a Heisman Trophy finalist, Chantel made an elaborate post for him, writing, “Watching him grind day in and day out, overcome challenges, and shine on the biggest stage has been inspiring. This moment is everything he’s worked for. So proud of you, Cam — now let’s make history!” But did you know? What binds the Ward family together is their love for sports!

The family’s matriarch, Patrice Ward, coached girls’ basketball, volleyball, and track for over two decades. Their father, Calvin Ward, was a former high school quarterback himself, while he currently works at a nuclear power plant.

Talking about her family’s work ethic, Chantel Ward even remarked, “Me and my parents, we have the same mentality when it comes to sports in general and that would be being aggressive and working hard.” And, even Cam Ward reflects the same mentality. He is the youngest of four children in his family, which includes his one older brother, Alton, and two older sisters, Aaliyah and Chantel. Now, as his sister is all set to tie the knot, he needs to bide some time away from his already jam-packed offseason.

Cam Ward makes waves as No. 1

After being largely ignored by recruiters coming out of Columbia High School, due to his role in a run-heavy Wing-T offense, Cam received only one offer. That is, he had to play for Incarnate Word, a small FCS program in San Antonio. “No one wanted him….It was shi–y…But he kept receipts,” his high school coach, Brent Mascheck, said.

His capabilities started to show as he went on to win the Jerry Rice Award as the top FCS freshman, following coach Eric Morris to Washington State, and then transferring to the University of Miami in 2024. Here, he threw for 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns, and led the Hurricanes to their best season since 2003, finishing fourth in Heisman voting.

At his pro day, Ward pointed directly at the Tennessee Titans’ brass after a 55-yard strike, as he later claimed that he solidified himself as the best player in the draft. Well, the Titans agreed.  On draft night in Green Bay, they selected Cam Ward No. 1 overall. Even though he is the first pick overall, he continues to be humble. “I’m on Coach Callahan’s timeline,” Ward said. Hence, he has left it to the authorities to decide on when, or whether, he becomes the team’s starter. “That’s really not my decision. I know I have a lot to work on, a lot of processing to do to play in the NFL.”

And, he doesn’t fail to thank God for everything that he is. “I have been put in this position, God blessed me with it,” he said earlier. Ward’s performance in early OTAs is quite promising. After getting his feet wet during rookie minicamp in May, he stepped into Phase 3 of the offseason program. He has managed to impress observers in an open OTA session, as he completed 19 of 20 passes in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 team drills.

Now, he has carried the momentum over into the team’s three-day mandatory minicamp in June. Ward has completed 42 of 58 passes overall, with a remarkable 21 consecutive completions over a two-day span. And, just like all rookies, he made a few mistakes. He threw two interceptions on the final day of minicamp, one to linebacker Cody Barton in 7-on-7, and another to cornerback Davion Ross in team drills. But he acknowledged the mistake.

As minicamp closed, Ward had cleared his plans for the coming weeks. “Just work out, stay in the playbook, and throw the (expletive) out of the ball,” he said bluntly. Now, Ward will participate in a final rookie session before they gather for the training camp in late July.