It’s not often you see a college football legend left off a list — especially when he helped define the program. But that’s exactly what happened when Cam Ward left Warren Sapp off his Mount Rushmore of Miami Hurricanes. And fans? They’re not taking it lightly.
Cam Ward, Miami’s record-shattering quarterback and potential No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, made waves not for what he said — but for what he didn’t. When asked to name his Mount Rushmore of Miami football, Ward stated, “Michael Irvin up there, Ray Lewis, I have to say Andre Johnson as well, then I’ll put my name up there.”
Warren Sapp isn’t just a Miami legend — he’s one of college football’s most dominant defensive linemen ever. The 1994 Lombardi Award winner, unanimous All-American, and future NFL Hall of Famer anchored a Hurricanes defense that terrorized offenses throughout the ‘90s. His absence from Ward’s list didn’t go unnoticed.
Ward’s confidence is built on undeniable talent — 4,313 passing yards, 39 touchdowns, and a 67.2% completion rate in 2024 alone. But critics argue one standout season in Coral Gables isn’t enough to earn a spot among the all-time greats. Before Miami, Ward played at Incarnate Word and Washington State — and has yet to lead the ‘Canes to a College Football Playoff appearance.
With the NFL Draft around the corner, Ward remains neck-and-neck with Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders in the race to be QB1. But while Sanders draws headlines for his poise and legacy under Coach Prime, Ward is now facing heat for a perceived lack of historical awareness. Some fans wonder if that tape shows enough Hurricane loyalty.
For Buffaloes fans watching from afar, one thing’s clear: Colorado’s stars know who came before them. And if Ward wants to carve his legacy in stone, he might want to start with a little respect for the rocks it was built on. Let’s be honest, a Hurricanes Mount Rushmore that doesn’t start with Warren Sapp, Ed Reed, and Sean Taylor is really no list at all.