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 and missing windows he shouldn’t. So when he went down in Week 4 against Miami with a Grade 2 AC joint sprain in his right shoulder—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, led Tennessee to its first win of the season—in the very game Levis had to leave earlier. Assisted by Nick Folk’s five field goals, the Titans looked competent again. However, for a sidelined Levis, that had to cut deeper than any pass rush. He didn’t just lose snaps. In fact, he lost control of the narrative. By the time the QB 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, especially after he finished the season 2-10. The former first-rounder, and the Titans’ left tackle, JC Latham, shed light on it further.

“I stayed connected with him (Levis) through the jump since I got there,” Latham said. “And honestly, like his mental [health] he did a good job really… just trying to block out the outside noise. And I remember he told me…that he’d be around his family a lot, and I know that helped for sure.”

“I think the hardest part for him was…I remember that win that we got against the Dolphins. [It] happened with Rudolph so…I can only imagine like…If I’m 0 and 3, and I’m like the head guy of the team…I get hurt and the backup wins the game. I mean, I can only imagine how that would make me feel. So, yeah, I kind of knew what he was going through. And I knew…he was really trying to fight his way through it all and trying to be that light for our team,” the player further revealed. Yet, the outside noise? Brutal. Everyone had opinions following his poor season.

Analysts were all in. Fans hardly stopped pointing out the shortfalls. Some even went as far as to name Levis as the worst in the league. Head coach Brian Callahan wasn’t sugarcoating it either. “What the f— are you doing?!” he had yelled in Week 2 itself after an untimely turnover vs the New York Jets in the second quarter.

Having said that, for the time being, Levis will need to focus on a different kind of challenge. 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 already.

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 clinch that role, 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…[He takes accountability for himself]…whenever he makes a mistake before anybody can never say anything about it. So yeah, 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 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.