Cam Ward has taken a long and winding road to get to the NFL, but his family has supported him the entire way.
Ward was born and raised in Texas, and even though he played college football at Incarnate Word, Washington State and Miami, it hasn't stopped his parents from attending his games. As Ward moves to the next level, his family will surely be there to support him in the next step of his career as well.
As Ward begins his NFL career with the Titans, here's a look at his Texas upbringing and supportive parents.
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Cam Ward dad: Calvin Ward
Ward's father, Calvin, is a fuel buyer for a nuclear power plant in Texas and has been for over 30 years. As Cam was growing up, his dad was a big influence in his football career.
Calvin Ward said he would throw the football around after his son's high school football practices just for fun, but it would keep getting him more reps. He believes all of this extra practice helped Cam become one of the top quarterbacks in the country at Miami.
"I don't get nervous because he's been brought up and taught that the game isn't over until the clock hits zero, so I know regardless of if he's having a great game or not having a great game, the team is still going to have a chance. ... He's gonna compete until the clock hits zero," Calvin told the Miami Herald last year.
At Titans training camp, Ward discussed the work ethic his father instilled in him from a young age and how it will translate to his NFL career.
Cam Ward talks about how his dad @calvinaward inspired his work ethic:
— Cam Ward Muse (@CamWardMuse) July 30, 2025
“I’ve grown up watching my dad wake up at 4:30 doing the job he did… so if I can’t wake up early and do what I need to do for a job I do, I shouldn’t be playing football.” pic.twitter.com/OgqUIA5ncI
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Cam Ward mom: Patrice Ward
Ward's mother, Patrice is a special education teacher and girls' basketball coach. She also played a huge role in Cam's career by making it a requirement for his grades to be good if he wanted to keep playing football.
For Patrice, seeing her son succeed after all the sacrifices he's made has been gratifying.
"I know the growth that he's made. I've seen the sacrifice that he's made. I saw the times when he was in high school, feeling like he wasn't getting the chance he wanted," she said, via MiamiHurricanes.com. 'There's the disappointment a mother can feel about that, but seeing him not giving up, you know, that makes me feel so proud."
On Miami's senior day in 2024, Ward greeted both of his parents on the field. They did not miss a game for his entire college career.
Cam Ward celebrates senior day with his parents, who had never missed a game 💐 pic.twitter.com/MGicooYzM6
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 23, 2024
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Cam Ward brother: Alton Ward
Ward is the youngest of four and has an older brother named Alton, who is the oldest in the family. He attended Texas A&M undergrad and Georgetown for graduate school and now resides in Miami.
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Cam Ward sisters
Aliyah Ward
Aaliyah is Cam's oldest sister and second-oldest child in the family. She stayed closer to home, working as a science teacher and basketball coach at the same school where Patrice works.
Chantel Ward
Finally, Chantel was an athlete herself, throwing shot put and discus at Houston Baptist University, before graduating and attending San Jose State University for grad school.
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Cam Ward cousin: Quandre Diggs
Ward has several cousins who play football either in the NFL or in college. Most notably, Ward is related to veteran safety Quandre Diggs, who signed with the Titans late in the 2024 season.
"He used to come to a lot of my games, and be there to support (me)," Diggs told Titans.com. "We are a really close-knit family, so we used to see each other every weekend, or at church or things like that. We grew up in a church household."
Diggs supported Ward at Miami's Pro Day in March, a sign of how close the two cousins are.
🤞🏾 always been bigger than football! https://t.co/xxdscnQnif
— Nino (@qdiggs6) March 25, 2025
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Cam Ward cousin: Quentin Jammer
Ward is also cousins with former Chargers cornerback Quentin Jammer, who played in the NFL from 2002-2013. The Angleton, Texas native is over 20 years older than Ward, but he still has similar Texas roots to Ward's.
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Cam Ward cousin: Kyron Drones
Additionally, Ward's second cousin is Kyron Drones, the quarterback for Virginia Tech. The signal-callers played against each other in the ACC last year but have frequently trained together in the past.
"We definitely got closer as we started training together," Drones said, via ESPN. "It gets real competitive. Real talking trash and picking each other's brain on how to get better. We're all trying to get to that end goal, which is the NFL."
While Ward entered the NFL draft this year, Drones is sticking around college for one more season. Last year, Drones played in nine games for the Hokies, totaling over 1,000 passing yards and 10 passing touchdowns.
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Where is Cam Ward from?
Ward grew up in West Columbia, Texas, which is about 55 miles south of Houston. The quarterback played high school football at Columbia High School in Texas, then attended Incarnate Word for two years before transferring to Washington State and then Miami.
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