Who will the Houston Texans under center against the Tennessee Titans in Week 18′?
Is Mason Rudolph set to start for the first time in 2025?
How about Will Levis? Do the Titans still believe he’s the future starting quarterback under a new regime?
Right now, Titans coach Brian Callahan isn’t sure what the future holds for either passer past the regular season finale at Nissan Stadium, but both plan on seeing the field against the back-to-back AFC South champions.
“They get a chance to play some ball and we’ll see if we can’t put together a good performance,” Callahan told reporters on Monday. “Maybe it’s a situation where if a guy is playing well we’ll let him play and if he’s not playing well another guy will take a chance at it. It’d be different if we won two games in a row with Mason. I’d probably stick with him for the last game. But we haven’t.”
#Titans coach Brian Callahan tells reporters that both QBs Will Levis and Mason Rudolph will play on Sunday. A final look for Tennessee, which currently holds the No. 2 pick.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 30, 2024
Levis, a fellow 2023 draft pick like Texans gunslinger C.J. Stroud, was benched in the third quarter following a disastrous performance in Week 15. Rudolph’s been taking first-team reps in practice, but his on-field play has led to a change of heart.
At the time, Callahan indicated that switching to Rudolph was a move he felt gave the Titans a better chance to win. Two lopsided losses later, the Titans (3-13) are closer to securing a top-three pick in the 2025 NFL Draft over a win to end an underwhelming year in Nashville.
Both quarterbacks have something to play for entering the offseason. Rudolph, who’s on a one-year contract with the Titans, could be playing for a new deal in the offseason elsewhere as the long-term QB2.
.@Titans HC Brian Callahan: If we’d won two games with Mason Rudolph, we’d probably stick with him this week. But we didn’t … Want to give Will Levis another shot to play
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) December 30, 2024
Levis, who has two more years on his rookie contract, might be playing to prove he’s worth holding out for as the potential franchise starter who needs a stronger supporting cast to flourish.
The Texans (9-7) can only better their record and not their playoff seeding after losing 31-2 on Christmas Day to the Baltimore Ravens. With a victory, it would secure a second 10-win season for Houston under DeMeco Ryans.
Sitting at 5-1 in the AFC South, Levis is the only passer to defeat Houston within conference play. He threw for 278 yards and two touchdown passes in Week 12’s 32-27 victory at NRG Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT. The game will be televised on CBS.