Almost two years ago — on Jan. 15, 2023 — Giants co-owner John Mara crowed about his team winning a wild-card playoff game in Minnesota. “We’re back,” he declared. The Giants still have not won 10 games since then.

Ward and Titans defensive back Quandre Diggs are cousins. Ward's parents lived close to Diggs' mother in Texas as Ward grew up, according to a 2022 story in The Athletic, with Diggs giving Ward advice as he worked through the high school ranks and subscribing to ESPN+ to watch Ward at Incarnate Word.

Both Ward and Sanders put together strong seasons with the Miami Hurricanes and Colorado Buffaloes respectively. Ward led all FBS passers with 39 passing touchdowns in 2024, while Sanders posted a completion percentage of 74% on his passes, which was tops among all FBS passers.