Titans, looking for ‘spark,’ bench QB Will Levis for backup Mason Rudolph

The Tennessee Titans are keeping second-year quarterback Will Levis on the bench and starting the backup currently on a one-year deal.

The decision to start Mason Rudolph that was announced Wednesday also gives the Titans (3-11) a chance to show their improvement under first-year coach Brian Callahan on Sunday when they visit Indianapolis (6-8).

“I felt like it was the best thing for our team for these last few weeks to see what Mason can bring offensively,” Callahan said.

Callahan was hired specifically for his offensive skills and experience with quarterbacks ranging from Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning to Joe Burrow. Levis has 17 of the Titans’ league-worst 29 turnovers despite missing three games and much of a fourth after spraining his right throwing shoulder.

The first-year Titans coach said this is a week at a time approach with no “proclamations” for the future.

“It doesn’t mean that this is the end of Will’s ability to be a good quarterback,” Callahan said. “This is just situationally in a season where we’re at, I felt like we needed a spark at the quarterback position.”

Levis has 12 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions in 11 starts this season, throwing for 1,916 yards. Rudolph, who will make his fourth start this season, has 1,015 yards passing with six TDs and five interceptions. His latest came as he tried to rally Tennessee in last week’s loss to Cincinnati.

Rudolph isn’t focused on how this gives him a chance to show what he can do either in Tennessee or with another team in 2025.

“Obviously every player wants to play well and have a long career, but I’m focused winning the game Sunday and, you know, celebrate with my teammates,” Rudolph said.

Levis is the quarterback general manager Ran Carthon traded up for in his first NFL Draft at No. 33 overall. Levis had shown signs of improving with no interceptions in his two games — both losses — before a meltdown against Cincinnati.

The quarterback was hit hard by Bengals end Trey Hendrickson and fumbled the ball. Levis then was intercepted three times over the next 12 offensive plays. The last was taken 39 yards to the end zone for Levis’ NFL-most fourth pick-6 of the season.

That’s when Callahan benched Levis and turned to Rudolph. The veteran was 21-of-26 for 209 yards with two TD passes and the one interception for a 109.8 passer rating against one of the league’s worst defenses against the pass.

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Callahan had said Monday he wanted to take some time before deciding on whether to put Levis back in the starting lineup. Rudolph got the news Tuesday morning.

Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk fired Mike Vrabel in January after the franchise’s second straight losing season. These Titans are trying to avoid matching the 14 losses in Ken Whisenhunt’s debut season of 2014 for the most in a single season since this franchise moved to Tennessee in 1997.

Rudolph is 1-2 this season and 9-6-1 in his career. Five wins came in 2019 with Pittsburgh, which drafted Rudolph 76th overall in 2018.

Levis called the move difficult and definitely disappointing. He doesn’t see this as a final decision on his future in Tennessee based on the conversations he’s had. Levis remains confident he can be a franchise quarterback, calling this a year of “great development” for him.

“I think that I truly did improve and sure as heck don’t want to go out like that,” Levis said. “And I know that there’s a positive future for me, whether it’s here or somewhere else. And I just have the conversations I need to hear and hopefully I can show and prove that I can still be the guy.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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