Former Tennessee Titans starting quarterback Will Levis recently found himself back in league headlines for the first time in nearly two years. It was strange to see the Titans' current No. 3 quarterback speak at the podium, but that's what happened at training camp.
In his first time speaking to the media since opting for season-ending shoulder surgery last summer, Levis assured everyone that he still held the self-confidence that people around the Titans organization had previously grown used to.
"I don't need to go out there and win x-amount of games before I can feel the confidence," Levis explained. "I have the confidence right now. I know I've put the tape out there already that I'm a dang good quarterback in this league, and I'm even better than I ever have been.
"There are not 32 quarterbacks in this league better than me. I know that for sure."
Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis challenges himself to prove he's a top-32 option in the NFL
The response from NFL fans and media was what you would expect for someone with Levis's reputation. Viral pictures and screen-shots from Levis's meme-filled disaster of a 2024 season flooding comment sections of posts of his media appearance. No one seemed to be taking the 27-year old seriously.
Levis's confidence has never been his issue. His exciting, gunslinging play style and intense personality were what drew Titans fans and media to him during his rookie year. However, the NFL world's last memory of him actually playing football is him consistently going viral for all the wrong reasons while securing the Titans a number-one draft choice and giving his team the opportunity to draft his replacement in Cam Ward.
The optimistic view for someone in Levis's shoes would be to look at quarterbacks like Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, and, as Titans fans know, Ryan Tannehill. All three of these quarterbacks were given up on as youn signal callers by teams that drafted them, only to get another shot in more ideal environments and end up reviving their careers. Mayfield and Tannehill would become quality starting quarterbacks on top offenses for playoff teams, and Darnold just won the Super Bowl as the Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback in February.
However, there's a reason that those career arcs became such fascinating stories. Those quarterbacks tend to be the exception.
Will Levis hopes to join latest run of bust quarterbacks to revive their careers elsewhere
That's the hard truth for Levis, and most other failed young quarterbacks. He did have a chance to prove that he was a starting quarterback, and he fell flat on his face (literally), ideal circumstances or not.
Levis's situation is eerily similar to fellow failed-Titans project quarterback Malik Willis. Like Levis now, Willis didn't have much of a future with the franchise in the 2024 offseason. However, he showed growth and improvement in a full offseason under then-new head coach and offensive play caller Brian Callahan.
After an impressive preseason, Willis was traded to the Green Bay Packers to backup Jordan Love and be coached by offensive guru Matt LaFleur. Willis would end up playing in relief of Love several times over his two seasons in Green Bay, and looked like a whole new player. The Miami Dolphins took notice and decided to give him another shot at being a starting NFL quarterback, signing Willis to a three-year, $67.5 million contract in March.
With his fate in Tennessee all but certain these days, Levis' best chance to revive his career would be the path that Willis took: Learn as much as you can from new Titans offensive coordinator and respected quarterback whisperer Brian Daboll, impress enough for the remainder of training camp and preseason to convince another team to give you a shot as a backup quarterback, and go from there.
So no, it's not completely over for Levis. His intriguing physical traits will keep NFL teams interested for now, and he did have exciting moments as the Titans starter, especially in 2023.
However, if he really is a starting-level quarterback in the NFL, he will have to show some signs of life relatively soon. If not, he'll likely be cast aside for good, with his unflattering legacy set in stone.
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