The Tennessee Titans are handing the reins of the offense to another quarterback after a 37-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
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Head coach Brian Callahan announced on Dec. 18 that Will Levis will head to the bench for this weekend's game against the rival Colts. Mason Rudolph will take over as the starter as the Titans close out another losing season.
Levis has delivered some highlights for the Titans during his sophomore campaign. He led the AFC South team to an upset win over the Texans, and he threw a 98-yard touchdown to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine against the Vikings.
The second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft has also struggled with turnovers this season. He has thrown 12 interceptions while matching his 12 touchdowns. He has also fumbled eight times, losing three.
The Titans benched Levis late in last weekend's game against the Bengals after he threw three interceptions and lost one fumble.
"It wasn't for lack of coaching or pouring into," Callahan said about Levis. "We've given, at every turn, as much as we can to try to put Will in position to succeed.
"He's shown improvement. There's a lot of things he's improved at. It hasn't been enough consistency at this moment. So, those are the things that we're trying to fix. Those aren't easy decisions ever."
Callahan said that he still believes in Levis and still believes that he can improve. However, he noted that benching Levis for Rudolph is the best decision at this time for the Titans.
Rudolph, a former member of the Steelers, has already appeared in five games for the Titans this season. He has thrown for 1,015 yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions. He led the AFC South team to a win over the Patriots while throwing for 240 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
This is the second consecutive season that Rudolph has taken over an offense late in the season. He also did so last season in Pittsburgh as the Steelers benched Kenny Pickett.
Rudolph went 3-0 while leading the Steelers to wins over the Bengals, Seahawks, and Ravens. He threw for 719 yards and three touchdowns.
