Titans name Will Levis as starting QB, demote Ryan Tannehill to backup

In a move that rewards a rookie’s impressive play and signals the end of an era for a franchise stalwart, Tennessee Titans Coach Mike Vrabel said Tuesday that Will Levis will be the starting quarterback going forward, with Ryan Tannehill as his backup.

“Just looking for something,” Vrabel said of handing Levis the reins to his 3-5 squad. “Everything we’re doing, we’re trying to do in the best interest of the football team.”

With Tannehill sidelined by a high-ankle sprain, Levis started the Titans’ past two games. Selected 33rd in April’s draft after Tennessee traded up to get him, Levis made a splash in his debut by throwing four touchdown passes in a win late last month over the Atlanta Falcons. He followed that with less eye-opening numbers at the Pittsburgh Steelers, but his overall performance on a short week in a challenging road environment was an encouraging sign of his ability to handle the rigors of NFL play.

“There’s clearly something there,” Vrabel, in his sixth season as Tennessee’s coach, said of Levis. “We want to be able to continue to work with him and progress and develop and win, and that’s how you get better. You only get better by going out there and playing, especially at that position.”

Vrabel added that he was “hopeful” Tannehill would be able to recover enough from his injury to be the backup this week.

Tannehill, 35, is in the final year of his contract. A first-round pick by the Miami Dolphins — whose selection at No. 8 in the 2012 draft was overshadowed by star quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III going 1-2 — Tannehill flourished in Tennessee after Marcus Mariota was benched early in the 2019 season. Taking over a team that started 2-4, he led the Titans to a 7-3 finish and a run to the AFC championship game while pacing the league in yards per attempt and earning comeback player of the year honors. Overall, Tennessee went 38-23 in Tannehill’s starts, with three postseason trips and two division titles.

“I have a lot of respect for Ryan, personally and professionally,” Vrabel said Tuesday. “We’ve won a lot of games here with Ryan.”