Will Levis is in his second season as the Tennessee Titans’ starting quarterback. His first four games provided glimpses of hope, but the 2023 second-round pick also displayed moments of weakness, like turning the ball over nine times.
In Week 4, Levis dove for a first down and suffered a shoulder injury, opening the door for backup quarterback Mason Rudolph to make his first appearance of the season. Rudolph led the Titans to their first and only win of the season.
After the game, Titans coach Brian Callahan erased all doubt, throwing his support behind Levis as the team’s full-time starter. Externally, the Titans are saying all the right things, but one rival coach thinks things are much different behind the scenes in Tennessee.
Related: Where does Will Levis land in Sportsnaut’s NFL QB Rankings?
Anonymous coach believes Mason Rudolph will take over as Tennessee Titans QB
In the three games Will Levis started, the Tennessee Titans scored 17 or fewer, losing all three matchups. Levis completed 3-of-4 passes for 25 yards and an interception before leaving Week 4’s game.
Mason Rudolph came in and led the Titans to their highest-scoring game of the season, a 31-12 rout over the Miami Dolphins. Though Miami’s offense contributing just 184 yards likely played a large factor, Rudolph finally got Tennessee in the win column.
Rudolph’s win, combined with the previous performances from Levis, have one unknown NFL coach believing the Titans are ripe for a quarterback change this season.
“First-year head coach Brian Callahan cleared up any chatter about a potential QB controversy after Mason Rudolph stepped in for an injured Will Levis and seemed to run Callahan’s offense effectively against Miami. Callahan says it’s Levis’ job, but a coach in their division shared: “It’s only a matter of time before Mason Rudolph takes over.””
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini on Tennessee Titans
Levis, 25, may have more potential than his backup, but Rudolph, 29, may be the better quarterback right now. With veteran receivers like Calvin Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins, plus a first-year head coach, the Titans may want to see what their offense is capable of right now, and Rudolph could be the one who’s most equipped for the job.
However, Coach Callahan isn’t ready to make that move. Yet.
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