Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward didn’t appear to care a lot for the edible mascot celebration on the conclusion of the Pop-Tarts Bowl, as he benched himself at halftime.
Ward, who’s extensively anticipated to be one of many prime two quarterbacks chosen within the 2025 NFL Draft, determined to not return to Miami’s bowl recreation in opposition to Iowa State after halftime.
“I believe all conferences with gamers and selections like that, we make them in non-public and we preserve them non-public. So I’ll desire to not reply questions because it pertains to that,” Miami head coach Mario Cristobal stated when requested about Ward’s resolution. “I do know he performed his greatest whereas he was in there.”
Ward was 12-of-19 passing for 190 yards and three touchdowns at half. It was a superb exhibiting in a recreation that had plenty of scoring, however the efficiency has been utterly undermined by his resolution.
And it’s bizarre. However let’s not faux like that is the primary time it’s ever occurred.
Simply final yr, vast receiver Malik Nabers performed in LSU’s bowl recreation in opposition to Wisconsin simply to interrupt this system’s all-time receiving report after which sat out your complete second half, prone to protect his well being for the NFL Draft.
Ward’s resolution to wave the white flag at halftime simply seems to be just a little bit unusual as a result of at that time, why play within the recreation in any respect? If accidents are actually the No. 1 concern, why danger one thing catastrophic taking place throughout the first two quarters?
We’ve seen promising NFL careers slam on the brakes earlier than they even get began due to extreme accidents in bowl video games. Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral and Michigan tight finish Jake Butt are a couple of examples that instantly come to thoughts, however there are a number of extra.
These gamers owe it to themselves to be as wholesome as potential. These bowl video games are meaningless, outdoors of hoisting a trophy with a built-in toaster.
Positive, within the period of title, picture and likeness dominating the world of faculty soccer, star gamers like Ward and Nabers are compensated pretty for his or her contributions on the sector. However they know a a lot greater payday is coming within the NFL.
It’s but to be decided whether or not that call will elevate any pink flags for Ward’s draft inventory. NFL Community’s Daniel Jeremiah said that the scenario is foolish, whereas draft analyst Todd McShay criticized the choice.
The New York Giants at present have the No. 1 general choice. Whereas there’s no assure that GM Joe Schoen would be the man making the decide, he traveled to Orlando to observe Ward play on this recreation. As Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders confirmed off Giants-themed cleats earlier than their Alamo Bowl matchup in opposition to BYU, the Giants most popular to observe Ward in particular person, however it’s important to marvel in the event that they had been caught off guard when he didn’t come out to play the second half.
It absolutely looks like no matter dialog was had between Ward and Cristobal got here to the conclusion that they didn’t care in regards to the Pop-Tarts Bowl and would reasonably see Ward cement himself as a prime 10 NFL Draft decide.
Did Ward “give up on his workforce?” Probably.
But it surely’s onerous to criticize that call when actually each NFL mock draft obtainable has him slated to make tens of thousands and thousands of {dollars} in only a few months. It’s a call that any sane particular person would have made.
