Tag: Will Levis

Ex-Titan Matt Hasselback has advice for Will Levis

Former Tennessee Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has some advice for Will Levis and believes he will get another opportunity to play.

Former Tennessee Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck spent 18 seasons in the NFL as a quarterback. He spent two seasons in a Titans’ uniform, mentoring Jake Locker until his release in 2013.

Hasselbeck is in New Orleans for the Super Bowl this weekend when he was asked about his time in Tennessee and any advice he might have for Will Levis.

Hasselbeck said he doesn’t know Levis well, but had his own struggles early in his career and talked about how he had to humble himself to get better, to find a way to be more coachable, and if it wasn’t for Trent Dilfer tearing his Achilles, he may not have gotten another chance himself. But he doesn’t think this is the end of the line for Levis.

“It’s hard to give super-quick advice,” Hasselbeck said. “But he’s already bigger, stronger, faster than all the Pro Bowlers, all the Hall of Fame quarterbacks. You’re already bigger, stronger, faster, can probably throw it more miles an hour than those guys. So, let’s work on the other stuff. Let’s work on where those guys might be stronger than you. And that’s for him or any quarterback.”

Levis will certainly have to figure out what areas he needs to improve on so he can focus his efforts there during he offseason, something Jordan Palmer will likely help him with. And just because he’s struggling now doesn’t mean his career is over. He has some things to work on, and if he does that then he will have a better chance at keeping his job this year.

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Will Levis not offended by lack of job security in Tennessee

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis says he is not offended by his lack of job security after a 3-14 season.

The Tennessee Titans have some serious work to do in the draft, with free agency, and through potential trades this offseason. There are a lot of areas on this team that need addressed before we see improvement, but the biggest focus right now is on the quarterback position.

The Titans told current starting quarterback Will Levis that there would be competition for his job in 2025, but he’s not offended.

After discussing his schedule and preparation for OTAs, Levis indicated that he will do everything in his power to improve and continue to be the starting quarterback. But he also understands that Mike Borgonzi, Chad Brinker, and the coaching staff have to do what is best for the team.

“I feel like it’s in their best interests and they have to do their due diligence to make sure that they know who’s out there and evaluate who they think they should evaluate,” Levis said. “It doesn’t offend me at all, and I know going 3-14 doesn’t get you job security in any year for any team. I know how it goes and all I can do is put my head down and work to, again, show them that I can still be this team’s quarterback.”

Levis has his work cut out for him, but that’s why Brian Callahan is sending him to work with Jordan Palmer in California, to get some of the foundational basics solidified. With improved footwork and vision, Levis’ decision-making should also improve through his reps.

Regardless if it’s Levis or another player, the quarterback position has to improve in 2025 or nothing else matters.

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Titans’ Will Levis to spend time with Jordan Palmer during offseason

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis will train with quarterbacks coach Jordan Palmer this offseason.

One of the biggest focuses for the Tennessee Titans this offseason is to improve the quarterback play. Both Mason Rudolph and Will Levis struggled in 2024, partially due to an offensive line that allowed over 50 sacks, but partially due to poor decision-making. Rudolph’s contract was only for one year and the Titans aren’t expected to bring him back. Levis, though, was drafted in 2023 and has two more years on his contract.

To that end, head coach Brian Callahan has a plan for Levis this offseason.

“I had some things for him, too, that we both talked about. I think he’s going to go spend some time with Jordan Palmer out in California. I really think Jordan is one of the better guys out there right now, in terms of working with pro quarterbacks, and so, hopefully, that’s an illuminating process for him, a different way of doing things.”

Callahan added that Levis will be out there for a couple of months and that he thinks it will be really beneficial for Levis to spend time with Palmer.

Jordan Palmer is the younger brother of former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer. He didn’t have the same level of success as his brother as a player, but he has spent the last two years as the Director of quarterback development for the XFL.

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Titans’ Will Levis: ‘Karma is gonna come back to us eventually’

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis spoke with the media on Monday, saying, “I feel like karma is going to come back to us eventually.”

The Tennessee Titans season is over and the players cleaned out their lockers today. It was an open event that allowed members of the media inside the locker room to converse with the players as they left the facility for the offseason break.

Will Levis was among those who spoke with reporters today, and he gave us some insight into what happened this season.

“Some of the stuff that happened from the turnovers, or just every game something came up that I’ve just never seen before,” he said.

That shouldn’t surprise anyone, honestly. It was clear all season that Levis’ on-field experience wasn’t anywhere near where it needed to be. He needed another season to sit behind a veteran quarterback before he took over, but he didn’t have that luxury as the Titans decided it was his time.

But the administration was wrong, he wasn’t ready.

“… Just kind of felt like we were always handed the short end of the stick sometimes and it just wasn’t going our way,” Levis continued. “I don’t know, the world’s crazy, I feel like karma’s going to come back to us eventually and we’ll start having the ball roll our way.”

The Titans got their first dose of that karma when they landed the top pick in the upcoming 2025 NFL draft. Whether there’s more to follow as the offseason progresses remains to be seen.

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Texans’ 10-win season rests in hands of Titans QB Will Levis

Will Levis is the only person standing in Houston Texans’ way of a 10-win season.

The Houston Texans are expecting to see both quarterbacks in the season finale against the Tennessee Titans.

Will Levis gets the first crack at trying to end Tennesseee’s five-game losing streak.

Titans coach Brian Callahan announced Friday that the second-year passer would return to the starting lineup for the season finale at Nissan Stadium.

“We’ll let him play,” Callahan told reporters. “Let him take a shot to finish off the season on a good note and play well.”

Sitting a 3-13, the Titans need a win to avoid a top-three draft pick. Houston, fresh off a double-digit loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas, must win to secure a second 10-win season under DeMeco Ryans.

While the Titans have struggled offensively, Levis’ best game came in Week 12’s win over Houston at NRG Stadium. He completed 75% of his throws for 278 yards and two touchdowns en route to a 32-27 victory over the AFC foe.

Levis a 2023 second-round pick, isn’t promised the starting job heading into Year 3, but he could be playing for a roster spot. His 12 interceptions and 17 total turnovers were both the most in the NFL at the time of his benching, meaning nothing is guaranteed in Nashville entering 2025.

“Excited to go out there and try to get another win,” Levis said. “I’m glad I got another opportunity. I sure as heck wouldn’t want my last throw to be a pick-six.”

Levis had the chance to be Tennessee’s starter in his second season with a team in a year many figured the roster could be a dark horse contender.  After throwing for 1,916 passing yards and 12 touchdowns in 12 games, the Titans’ future at quarterback is uncertain.

The picture could become more clear with a win on Saturday at Nissan Stadium.

Titans vs. Texans: 3 causes for concern in Week 18

The Tennessee Titans host the Houston Texans to close out the 2024 season and there are three causes for concern for the Titans.

The Tennessee Titans host the Houston Texans in their final game of the 2024 season this Sunday at Nissan stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. The game kicks off at 12:00 p.m. CDT, and it’s unlikely to look like the same game as their Week 12 meeting.

The Texans clinched the AFC South and a playoff berth, so their postseason endeavors are already set. Houston has not said they will be resting players this week, necessarily, but reps may be limited given that they do not have to win this game.

The Titans have lost their last five in a row and eight of their last 10. It hasn’t mattered which quarterback plays, but this week we’ll get to see them both play apparently. It’s been a long season of disappointment for the Titans.

Heading into Week 18, there are three causes for concern.

Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images

Quarterback controversy

Okay, it’s not so much a controversy as there isn’t a set quarterback. First, it was Will Levis, then he got hurt and Mason Rudolph filled in. Then Levis came back but was benched after throwing three interceptions in a game and Rudolph took over. But Rudolph couldn’t get the job done either and now Brian Callahan says both quarterbacks will play on Sunday.

Switching between quarterbacks isn’t an easy task and definitely contributed to the Titans’ inability to find any rhythm this season. But playing them both in the same game isn’t really the answer either.

Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

The ground game

This goes for both sides of the ball. On offense, the Titans look to have Tony Pollard back this weekend, which is good news since Tyjae Spears is still in concussion protocol. In the absence of Spears and if Pollard goes down or can’t play, the Titans are left with Julius Chestnut, who hasn’t seen much field time this year save on special teams. In their last meeting, Pollard rushed for 119 yards, but that doesn’t mean that Chestnut would have the same success if called upon.

On the other side of the ball, the Titans’ defense held the Texans to 40 yards on the ground in their last meeting. But the Titans’ interior has fallen apart over the last few weeks. If Joe Mixon has limited reps, Dameon Pierce will take every opportunity he can to run the ball down the Titans’ throats.

Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images

Momentum

The Texans have already secured their playoff spot, but after losing their last two games, they really need to build some momentum in the final week of the regular season. What better way to do that than to defeat a division rival on their home field after they did it to you earlier in the year?

Houston needs to end the season with a win, which is why they may not limit the reps of their starters until they have a solid lead. They aren’t playing for pride; the Texans need a mood shift to prepare them for Wild Card Weekend. And the Titans make for a perfect punching bag.

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Titans’ New Year’s resolution: Start from scratch on offense

The Tennessee Titans’ New Year’s resolution should be to start from scratch on offense, according to CBS Sports.

The Tennessee Titans have a lot of business to handle during the offseason, which starts at the conclusion of their Week 18 matchup with the Houston Texans. They get to close out their season at home, and it’s against one of three teams they beat this year, so there is some hope that they will get a win to end the season.

Don’t hold your breath, though. The Titans were favored against the Jacksonville Jaguars for both meetings and lost them both. The Titans’ season has been full of disappointment, which is what led CBS Sports to make this New Year’s resolution for the Titans:

Start from scratch on offense. Will Levis warrants competition or replacement, but so does his front, and an overpriced skill group. Brian Callahan has his hands full with this cast of characters.

Levis is signed through the 2026 season on his rookie contract, becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2027. Right now, there’s no trading him, no one wants him, so the Titans should focus on bringing in a quarterback with some experience. Kirk Cousins comes to mind given how things are going in Atlanta.

Let’s be clear here, though. The Titans’ quarterback problem cannot and will not be solved by drafting a quarterback in 2025. They need to utilize the draft for other positions and find a quarterback who’s already established in the league that can mentor Levis and get him up to speed. Levis has potential, he just needs more time to develop and understand the professional game.

What the Titans need to address in the draft is the offensive line and the pass rush, although it will be awfully hard to pass on Travis Hunter, and they shouldn’t pass on that opportunity if he’s there. But the remainder of the draft should focus on non-skill positions and bolstering the protection around the quarterback, otherwise it doesn’t matter who lines up under center, a lesson the Titans learned this year already.

At least, they should have.

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Titans to play both Will Levis and Mason Rudolph in Week 18

Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan announced his plan to play both Mason Rudolph and Will Levis at quarterback in Week 18.

Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan had his final regular season press conference on Monday and made some interesting comments and shed some light on the team’s plan for their finale. 

The biggest news that came out of that press availability was focused on the quarterback position when he was asked if he was going with Mason Rudolph again.

“I’m actually, probably going to play both of them, to be honest.” Callahan stated, “to let both of those guys play.”

While he fell short of naming a starter, he made it clear that both Rudolph and Will Levis will see action against the Houston Texans.

This is an interesting decision and a change in the staff’s attitude since benching Levis two weeks ago. Of course, the Titans did go 0-2 in his absence, and Rudolph threw multiple interceptions in the course of those two games. 

The season is lost and the team is playing for pride, so this would be a good game to get some of the younger players on the field to gain experience. Players like Bryce Oliver, Jha’Quan Jackson, Julius Chestnut, James Williams and Cedric Gray could always use more reps, especially with multiple veterans banged up or underperforming. 

The same could be said for Levis as well. When Rudolph took over and produced similar results with almost identical stats, it does raise the question of whether it is the players or the system. That question won’t likely be answered until 2025. 

Who will the starting quarterback be? We will all have to wait and see when the Titans close out the season at Nissan Stadium against the Texans.

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Titans vs. Jaguars: 5 things to know ahead of Week 17

The Tennessee Titans visit the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday and here are five things fans should know ahead of the Week 17 game.

The Tennessee Titans are gearing up for a trip to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars in Week 17. This will be the second and final meeting between the division rivals in the 2024 season.

In the first matchup, these teams put on performances that nobody who’s not a fan or media member willingly watched. The game featured rain and just one touchdown, with the Jaguars winning, 10-6.

At BetMGM, the Jaguars are favored by just 1 point over the Titans. Now, let’s identify five things to know ahead of this matchup.

Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

First meeting was an offensive abomination

These teams met at the beginning of December and it was not easy on the eyes. Neither team reached 300 yards of offense and only one touchdown was scored.

Unfortunately for the Titans, one touchdown was all it took to give the team another loss. Will Levis played badly, and the play-calling was equally atrocious. There were almost no positives to take from this matchup.

Will the rematch be any better? It can’t possibly be worse.

Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Rudolph’s first shot at the Jaguars as a Titan

Mason Rudolph will be starting for the Titans at quarterback this go-round. As mentioned above, the offense can’t possibly be worse with Rudolph than it was with Levis against this defense.

Rudolph did play against the Jaguars once previously in his career. That game was in 2020 and Rudolph came in the game just to kneel a few times. The Steelers won that game, 27-3, so here’s to hoping for a similar result this weekend.

Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Titans seeking to avoid being swept by Jaguars for just 4th time ever

Since moving to Tennessee, the Titans have only been swept in the season series with the Jaguars three times. The most recent time was during the 2022 season.

In most seasons, the Titans can rely on picking up at least one win against their division rival. Even when the Titans went 2-14 in 2014, one of those wins was against the Jaguars.

Getting swept by a bad Jaguars team would show just how putrid this version of the Titans is.

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2025 NFL draft implications

If the season ended on Thursday, the Titans would have the No. 4 pick while the Jaguars would have the No. 3 pick.

With another loss to the Jaguars, however, the Titans would leap their rivals for the No. 3 pick. This could be crucial considering the Titans need a quarterback, as do the New York Giants who currently have the No. 1 pick.

Everybody will want to beat the Jaguars, but losing doesn’t sound so bad if it gets you closer to a potential franchise quarterback.

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Can the Titans stop Mac Jones?

Mac Jones didn’t exactly light up the stat sheet in the first meeting, but he did enough to win. Getting swept by the Jaguars is embarrassing enough, but getting swept by Jones is one of the most embarrassing things I can imagine.

The Titans did force Jones to throw two interceptions in the last game, but couldn’t prevent the quarterback from driving down the field for a game-winning score. That can’t be the case again.

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Titans injury report: Luke Gifford out, Nick Folk questionable

The Tennessee Titans released their final Week 16 injury report and see multiple starters questionable for their battle with the Colts.

The Tennessee Titans finished up their work on the field in preparation for their Week 16 battle with the Indianapolis Colts on Friday and have a lot of injury questions heading into the weekend.

The biggest blow could be the loss of kicker Nick Folk. Folk returned to practice on Friday and was limited. The Titans listed Folk as questionable, but expect kicker Brayden Narveson to be elevated as an emergency option. That could play a huge role in the outcome of what should be a close game. 

Quarterback Will Levis was added to the injury report and was limited with a shoulder injury. This coincides with reports that he aggravated it against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 14 and attempted to play through it last week. Levis is questionable this week. 

Linebacker Luke Gifford and wide receiver Colton Dowell were the only players listed as out on the Friday report. 

The final injury report and game statuses for the Titans and Colts are below.

Tennessee Titans

Out: LB Luke Gifford (concussion), WR Colton Dowell (knee)

Doubtful: None

Questionable: LB Kenneth Murray (hamstring), K Nick Folk (abdomen), QB Will Levis (shoulder), OT Jaelyn Duncan (hamstring), RB Tony Pollard (ankle), Otis Reese (ankle)

Indianapolis Colts

Out: LB E.J. Speed (knee), WR Alec Pierce (concussion)

Doubtful: None

Questionable: TE Mo Alie-Cox (hip), WR Ashton Dulin (ankle), K Matt Gay (neck), CB Julius Brents (knee), LB Jaylon Carlies (fibula/shoulder), C Ryan Kelly (knee)