There’s losing, and then there’s the kind of disjointed, confidence-eroding start that makes a front office uneasy. That’s what Will Levis and the Titans trudged through to open 2024—three straight losses, an offense that couldn’t stay on schedule, and a quarterback who looked more reactive than composed. Levis wasn’t just under duress. He was visibly pressing, taking sacks he shouldn’t, and missing windows he hit last December. The talent was still there, but the timing, the processing, the command? All a beat slow. So when he went down in Week 4 against Miami with an AC joint injury—right as the Titans were starting to show signs of life—it wasn’t just a physical blow. It paused a development arc already teetering on shaky ground.
Then came the twist: Mason Rudolph, cold off the bench, steadied the offense and led Tennessee to its first win of the season—on the road, in prime time, against a Dolphins team built for track meets. It was an objectively better rhythm, even if Rudolph wasn’t spectacular. The ball came out quicker. The offense moved cleaner. And suddenly, the Titans looked competent again. For Levis, sidelined in a sling, that had to cut deeper than any pass rush. He didn’t just lose snaps. In fact, he lost control of the narrative. In this league, perception moves fast. And while no one inside the building is calling it a controversy, the moment Rudolph steadied the ship, the leash on Levis got shorter. Not because he failed, but because someone else succeeded. And it was just enough to make everyone wonder.
By the time Levis had his first win as a starting quarterback, it was already week 12 (32-27 victory over the Texans). But the damage was done. Not just on the Titans’ 2024 season, but on Levis’ mentality. The guy grinded, pushed harder, tried to fight his way through, but at the end of the day, it didn’t even matter. Levis wrapped up his season 2-10. A season not so memorable. Mentality was already bruised.
Fast forward to now, the Titans have selected Cam Ward at 1st overall, and Levis must compete against him for the starting role. But that’s the future. Ahead of the 2025 season, let’s focus on how Will Levis is tackling whatever happened in the last season. The former first-rounder, and the Titans’ left tackle, JC Latham, shed light on where he sees Levis’ mentality.
“I stayed connected with him (Levis) through the jump since I got there,” Latham said, addressing his rookie season with Levis. “And honestly, like his mental, he did a good job really… just trying to block out the outside noise. And I remember he told me a lot that he’d be around his family a lot, and I know that helped for sure.” The outside noise? Brutal. Everyone had opinions following his poor season.
JC Latham on Titans Rookie Year, Cam Ward Hype, Will Levis, Alabama Memories & DeBoer Era | Bussin’
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Analysts were in. Fans were in, straight up admitting, “Levis is the worst QB in the NFL.” Even head coach Brian Callahan wasn’t sugarcoating it. “What the f— are you doing?!” He summed up what everyone was thinking. Too much to tackle for Levis. Latham described it, referring to their Week 4 game against the Dolphins last season.
“I can only imagine like if I’m 0 and 3 and I’m like the head guy of the team and I get hurt and the backup wins the game,” he added. “I mean, I can only imagine how that would make me feel, so yeah, I mean that kind of I knew what he was going through.” So, let bygones be bygones. It’s not the first time someone has had a terrible season. There’s a reason why it’s called pro football.
At some point, we can assume the third-year quarterback lost the mental battle. But for the time being, Levis is now focusing on what lies ahead. With Cam Ward in the building, it’s a face-off to claim the starting role. Ward is coming with an elite resume. The competition’s going to be tough for the QB1 spot. And JC Latham has cleared his expectations from the rookie quarterback.
JC Latham says Cam Ward is a leader
Tennessee doesn’t want to repeat past mistakes, and they’re surely dodging déjà vu this time, especially at the quarterback position. There’s a high chance they might want to go in a different direction at the QB1 role. We’re talking about choosing Cam Ward instead of Will Levis. See, Levis had a terrible season, no doubt. But given the Titans haven’t announced the starting QB yet, Levis is certainly competing against Ward.
However, amidst all the speculation about who will be the starting QB in Tennessee, JC Latham addressed Ward’s leadership skills and how he’s pushing himself to learn the system. “He’s been a great kid, humble kid, outgoing, he’s only been here because they started their rookie minicamp Thursday,” Latham said when asked about the energy in the building on Ward’s arrival.
He went on: “He’s really quiet, but definitely pushing himself to learn the system. He’s a leader, you know, taking accountability for you know himself and whenever he, you know, makes a mistake before you know, anybody can never say anything about it. So yeah, I mean, I’m really excited for him. I think he has an amazing future ahead of him, so I’m super excited for that.”
After being selected at 1st overall by the Titans, Ward is on a journey to become the Titans’ starting quarterback in his rookie season. “We have a great building, the front office. I am excited to get the journey going with the team we have, the group we have. I am ready to get the wheels rolling,” Ward said during the team’s rookie minicamp.
With huge expectations and a little bit of pressure as the No. 1 overall pick, Ward is gearing up to start his rookie campaign. Is he going to be the next big thing in the NFL? Or is he going to be another lesson for the Titans? The odds are in favor of the former. But we’ll see.
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