NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The most significant reaction Will Levis received during the game on Sunday was when first-year Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan decided to bench the second-year quarterback. This moment encapsulates not only Levis’ performance in a 37-27 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals but also highlights the current predicament facing the Titans.
The Titans are in urgent need of evaluating the 33rd overall pick from the 2023 NFL Draft to determine what potential they have, especially as they prepare for what is expected to be their most favorable draft position since selecting fifth overall in 2017. Up until Sunday, Levis had displayed some improvement in his gameplay, managing to avoid interceptions in his previous two outings, despite both resulting in losses.
Callahan remarked on the difficulties at the quarterback position: “We’re not getting enough positive plays in a row from the quarterback position and that, to me, is the hard part.” Unfortunately for Levis, his performance on Sunday was lackluster. He lost a fumble after Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson rushed in unblocked and then threw three interceptions, the last of which was returned 39 yards by Geno Stone for a pick-six. This was Levis’ fourth interception of the season, making him the league leader in that statistic, and those turnovers ultimately contributed to Cincinnati scoring 24 points.
Given Levis’ struggles, Callahan opted to substitute in veteran backup Mason Rudolph in hopes of finding a spark. Rudolph completed 21 of 26 passes for 209 yards and two touchdown throws but also had one interception while attempting to drive the Titans toward the end zone. “Those things happen,” Callahan noted, referencing his prior experience coaching Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. “I’ve been a part of them before. Just a bad half, a bad series that kind of spiraled on him, and you need to take a seat for a little bit and let somebody else do it.”
With just three games remaining in the Titans’ season, which has resulted in a 3-11 record, Levis has already equaled the four pick-sixes recorded last season by Sam Howell and the same number thrown by Matthew Stafford in 2021. Among quarterbacks in the past decade who have had four or more pick-sixes in a season, Levis stands out as the first Tennessee quarterback to achieve this milestone since the franchise relocated to Nashville in 1997. Notably, Matt Hasselbeck and Steve McNair had multiple seasons with three pick-sixes.
Levis understands that a quarterback committing four turnovers is likely to be benched, and he now needs to review the game footage to identify his mistakes. “I know what I’m capable of,” Levis stated. “The ball was coming out of my hand well. There’s things we could do at all positions to help us out with a couple of those turnovers. There’s nothing discouraging about it. It was just one of those days, and I’m going to keep swinging, that’s for sure.”
Rudolph, who has also experienced being benched in his career, expressed that while the experience is challenging, there are invaluable lessons to be learned from it. “It hardens you as a man and as a human being,” Rudolph reflected. “It’s all about how you respond, and I know he’ll respond well.”
