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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Call it cocky. Call it defiance. Call it whatever filters through the social media echo chamber. Will Levis does not care about winning approval anymore.
Speaking to reporters after the first open practice of Tennessee Titans training camp, the fourth-year signal-caller offered an assessment of his standing in professional football that immediately dominated league-wide discourse.
There are not 32 quarterbacks in this league better than me,
Levis said. I know that for sure.
That statement arrives at a fascinating intersection of Levis’ career. Selected 33rd overall in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Kentucky, Levis enters the 2026 season fighting for a roster foothold rather than cementing a franchise foundation. After logging a 5-16 record as a starter across his first two active campaigns—highlighted by 3,899 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, and a league-high 18 turnovers during a tumultuous 2024 season—his trajectory hit a physical wall. A sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder ultimately required season-ending surgery, keeping him sidelined for the entirety of the 2025 campaign as the Titans slumped to a 3-14 record and secured the No. 1 overall pick used on rookie Cam Ward.
Now operating under head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Levis finds himself locked in a training camp battle with veteran Mitchell Trubisky to serve as Ward's primary backup, with 2023 third-round pick Hendon Hooker also in the room. Yet, rather than projecting resignation, Levis radiates a recalibrated sense of self.
I feel like I worked a lot for other people's approval in the beginning of my career,
Levis said. Whereas I'm just trying to be the best version of me at this point. And I have more confidence than I've ever had because of that. I don't need to go out there and win X amount of games before I can feel the confidence. 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.
The physical tools have never been in dispute. Standing 6-foot-4 and 229 pounds, Levis possesses the prototypical arm strength that once made him a projected first-round selection before his infamous green-room slide on draft night. During his time away on injured reserve—his first extended hiatus from football since the second grade—Levis spent significant energy addressing the mental and emotional toll of his early struggles.
I think it was just truly trying to be honest with myself with a lot of things that happened, whether it was on the field, off the field,
Levis reflected. I think I've suppressed a lot of emotions I've had in the past just to be the person to not care about it. But sometimes that's not healthy.
Saleh has taken notice of the pivot in approach, noting that Levis has been competing his butt off
and asking the right questions in meetings. Whether that internal growth translates to trade value or a secure spot behind Ward remains one of the more compelling subplots of the Titans' preseason. Tennessee previously orchestrated a similar pivot with Malik Willis in 2024, eventually trading him before he found a starting home elsewhere.
For now, Levis is focused entirely on maximizing his opportunities when the ball touches his hands, dismissing the outside noise surrounding his place in the pecking order. When I get the opportunities, I know I'm gonna make the most of it and I'm going to shine,
he said.
Sources
These sources formed the evidence pack for this article. Links open the original publisher; inclusion does not imply endorsement.
- nbcsports.com original
- thescore.com original
- nfl.com original
- Andy Backstrom Contributing writer Sat, August 1, 2026 at 10:04 p.m. UTC · 5 min read original
- TERESA M. WALKER Sat, August 1, 2026 at 7:45 PM UTC · 3 min read original
- tennesseetitans.com original
- apnews.com original
