Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward didn’t seem to care much for the edible mascot celebration at the end of the Pop-Tarts Bowl, as he took to the bench at halftime.
Ward, widely expected to be one of the top two picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, decided not to return for Miami’s bowl game against Iowa State after the break.
“I think that all the meetings with the players and decisions like these, we do them privately and keep them private. Therefore, I would prefer not to answer questions as it is related to that,” said Miami coach Mario Cristobal when asked about Ward’s decision. “I know he played very well when he was there.”
Ward was 12-of-19 passing for 190 yards and three touchdowns in the half. It was a good display in a high-scoring game, but the performance was completely overlooked by his decision.
And it’s weird. But let’s not pretend it’s the first time.
Just last year, wide receiver Malik Nabers played in LSU’s bowl game against Wisconsin just to break the program’s all-time receiving record and then sat the entire second half, potentially saving his life in the NFL Draft.
Ward’s decision to wave the white flag at halftime seems odd because at that point, why is the game being played? If injuries are really the No. 1 concern, why risk some disaster during the first two quarters?
We’ve seen promising NFL players hit the brakes before they even started because of serious injuries in bowl games. Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral and Michigan tight end Jake Butt are a few examples that immediately come to mind, but there are several others.
These players owe it to themselves to be as healthy as possible. These bowl games mean nothing, other than raising a cup with a built-in toaster.
Of course, in an era of name, image and likeness that dominates the world of college football, legendary players like Ward and Nabers are fairly compensated for their contributions on the field. But they know the biggest payday is coming in the NFL.
It remains to be determined if that decision will raise any red flags for Ward’s draft stock. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said the situation was stupid, while draft analyst Todd McShay criticized the decision.
The New York Giants currently have the 1st overall pick. While there is no guarantee that GM Joe Schoen will be the pick, he went to Orlando to watch Ward play in this game. With Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders showing off the big-headed cleats before their Alamo Bowl game against BYU, the Giants preferred to watch Ward in person, but you have to wonder if they were caught off guard when he didn’t come out for the second play. part.
It certainly seems like any conversation that took place between Ward and Cristobal came to the conclusion that they don’t care about the Pop-Tarts Bowl and would like to see Ward cement himself as a top 10 NFL Draft pick.
Did Ward “quit his team?” It is possible.
But it’s hard to criticize that decision when every NFL draft in existence is slated to make tens of millions of dollars in just a few months. It is a decision that any sane person would make.
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