Will Levis address quarterback situation with Titans: "It sucks"

After starting 12 games for the Tennessee Titans last season, former Kentucky quarterback Will Levis understands the reality of the new situation he finds himself in.

The Titans used its No. 1 overall pick from the 2025 NFL Draft to select Miami (FL) quarterback Cam Ward, who is widely expected to take over as the team’s starter on opening day this fall. That leaves Levis, who was taken with the first pick of the second round in 2023, facing an arduous task this offseason as the franchise’s likely backup.

“I think anyone who’s ever been in my situation can agree that it sucks,” Levis told reporters on Wednesday. “I’m just trying to do everything I can not to let it affect me. I’m just being the same dude every day in the building and being here for the guys.”

Levis is about to enter year three with the Titans. He’s started all 21 games he’s appeared in, throwing for 21 touchdowns and 16 interceptions with a completion percentage of 61.0 and 3,899 total passing yards. Tennessee finished 3-14 last season with Levis missing multiple games due to injury before ultimately being benched for the final two games.

"I think anyone who's ever been in my situation can agree that it sucks. I'm just trying to do everything I can not to let it affect me. I'm just being the same dude every day in the building being here for the guys."
-Will Levis on #Titans QB situation.https://t.co/MVTv36eUcQ

— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) May 28, 2025

Although Tennessee head coach Brian Callahan hasn’t come out and explicitly named Ward as the starter just yet, everyone knows the situation: Levis will fill in as the backup for Ward. Levis did praise the rookie during the same interview, though, calling him “a heck of an athlete, a heck of a quarterback, too.” Veterans Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle will make up the rest of the Titans’ quarterback room.

It hasn’t been an ideal start to Levis’ NFL career, but he’s planning to use this offseason as motivation to improve his consistency and decision-making moving forward. The former Wildcat has been spending time in California training with personal quarterback coach Jordan Palmer.

“I’ve been really pleased with the work that he’s put in,” Callahan said of Levis, who ended Wednesday’s practice by throwing an interception that would have been returned for a pick-six. “I see a real improvement in his footwork and his base. His ability to control the football has improved.”

Year three could prove to be a career-altering one for Levis. He could spend all season on the bench, entrenched in trade rumors. Or in the event Ward does not perform up to expectations or is hit with an early injury, Levis will be thrust into the action. How he handles this season might just decide the rest of his NFL fate.