7 Reasons Why Will Levis Is Controversial Amongst Titans Fans

The Tennessee Titans made a bold move in the recent draft by selecting quarterback Will Levis, sparking intense debates among fans. In this article, we will delve into the seven reasons behind the Titans’ choice of Levis and the controversial debate surrounding him.

1. Levis Underwhelmed in 2022:

Levis underwhelmed during his time at Kentucky but more specifically last season. After a promising 2021 season, it was almost going to be impossible for Levis to meet the sky-high expectations set by Kentucky fans and media alike. When he didn’t meet expectations, every excuse in the book was used to justify his lackluster performances, from a change in offensive coordinator to a lack of supporting cast, to a bad offensive line.

While some of those “excuses” are valid, Levis not living up to expectations plays a role in making Will Levis controversial amongst fans. Unfortunately, the situation he now faces with the Titans seems eerily similar to that of what he faced last year, potentially hindering his ability to fulfill his potential.

2. Levis Is Walking Into a Similar Offensive Environment:

Levis enters the Titans organization with a history of struggling against challenges that mirror those he faced at Kentucky. Titan’s fans were split on taking a QB at all during the draft because the team had so many holes and uncertainties on the offensive side of the ball. One glaring question mark is the recent promotion of Tim Kelly as the Titans’ offensive coordinator. While Kelly may possess untapped potential, he is a bit of an unknown as a play-caller, with only two previous seasons where he called plays for the Houston Texans.

The Titans also underwent a significant overhaul of their offensive line to try and rectify the horrendous offensive line play from last year. New GM Ran Carthan has focused on acquiring utility players that could become solid starters but there’s a lot of unproven talent starting across the offensive line for the Titans in 2023.

The biggest and most glaring concern lies with the Titans’ wide receiver corps, which is widely regarded as one of the weakest in the NFL. The team made no significant moves to address their issues at WR during free agency or the draft, leaving Levis with limited options to target in the passing game in practice and if he ever sees the field on Sundays. Sound familiar?

It sounds like an NFL version that somewhat mirrors that of the 2022 Kentucky Wildcats. It’s not exactly the best environment for a young QB to thrive and develop. Not addressing other offensive needs while trading up and taking a QB that may not start until late in the season or at all this year plays a role in making Will Levis controversial amongst fans.

3. Kentucky Fans Overhyped Levis:

One key thing people keep forgetting is that Kentucky fans spent the entirety of last offseason hyping up Will Levis, proclaiming him as a Heisman Trophy finalist and 2023 top-five NFL draft pick. However, he did not live up to that impossible billing. This made Levis a divisive player amongst other SEC fanbases and especially amongst Tennessee Vol fans.

It’s important to note that Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker delivered one of the best seasons a QB has ever had at the university, like Levis was supposed to do at Kentucky. If not for a torn ACL late in the season, Hendon Hooker would have been a Heisman finalist. Hooker accomplished so much last year, and Levis underperforming plays a role in making Will Levis so controversial amongst fans. There is a contingent of fans that would have wanted Hooker over Levis and think Hooker could be a better NFL QB long-term. That’s a debate that we won’t find the answers to for years, though.

4. The Tennessee/Kentucky Rivalry:

There’s a narrative amongst this debate that only Vol/Titans fans are the ones that dislike the Levis pick. The argument made throughout Titans’ Twitter is essentially that Vols fans are just mad that Will Levis played at a rival school. One aspect that seems lost in this is the connection between the same fans and the most beloved player on the team,  Derrick Henry.

Despite playing for Alabama, a team considered a bigger rival than Kentucky for Volunteer fans, Henry’s popularity among Tennesseans remains unblemished. It’s not so farfetched to think that Derrick Henry could retire as the most beloved Tennessee Titan ever. Titan/Vols fans love him!

They love Henry because you can’t deny his talent and the impact he has had on the franchise. The narrative that Tennessee Vol fans, who are also Titans fans, only hate Will Levis is lazy, and their love for Henry proves that. This is a complex issue. Tennessee and Kentucky football fans certainly dislike each other, but to say the ONLY reason Titans/Vols fans are upset over the pick is that Levis played at a rival school is inaccurate. This narrative discounts any valid criticisms of Levis and only continues to further the division around him as a Titan.

5. Will Levis On Social Media:

Levis also gained a lot of attention for his social media antics. Levis has went viral on multiple occasions, but mainly for him eating a raw banana peel and putting mayo in his coffee. While these stunts may entertain some, they aren’t necessarily going to be things that rally support outside of the Kentucky bubble. Frankly, it’s a little weird to most people outside that Kentucky bubble. There are countless memes that will now connect the Tennessee Titans franchise to mayo in coffee, and that does play a role in making Will Levis so controversial amongst fans. This can lead to some questioning of the maturity of who is now considered to be the face of the franchise.

6. Levis is Another Long-Term Project QB:

Adding to the complexity of the Titans’ selection of Will Levis is their recent experience with Malik Willis, the quarterback drafted last year. After a few poor performances, the team quickly abandoned their hopes of Willis becoming their future franchise quarterback. Some fans bought into the idea of Willis as the long-term solution, only to be asked to quickly abandon those thoughts as the Titans invest more draft capital in another young quarterback. This shift in focus raises questions about the team’s ability to develop a raw QB.

In the eyes of some fans, the selection of Levis suggests that the Titans are willing to take on another long-term QB project, prolonging the search for a more definitive answer at quarterback. Levis is not a prospect that comes across as a more sure prospect like Bryce Young or CJ Stroud did. Even in next year’s draft Caleb Williams and Drake Maye seem to be a more definitive answer coming out of college than Levis. Selling fans on another long term developmental QB in back-to-back years plays a role in making Will Levis so controversial amongst fans.

7. The Titans Need For Levis To Be An Elite QB:

If the Tennessee Titans are ever going to reach the pinnacle of NFL success, it will be because they have an elite QB who can elevate the team to new heights. A Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Jalen Hurts, Peyton Manning-type QB is the path to a Super Bowl in today’s NFL. If you don’t have an elite QB, you’re not winning the Super Bowl.

While Ryan Tannehill has been a solid performer for the Titans, overall, he has been a middle-of-the-road QB. Based on what Will Levis did at Kentucky, he didn’t elevate the offense like elite QBs do. Outside of Mel Kiper, Kentucky fans, Titans fans that have talked themselves into Levis, and NFL Draft nerds that find the Levis pick to be of “great positional value,” there aren’t a lot of people in the general football public that think Levis is going to become an elite top 5 NFL QB.

A realistic ceiling could be if he is even able to surpass Tannehill’s level of play. Tannehill is widely considered to be one of the main reasons the Titans haven’t been able to win a Super Bowl. Levis will have to become elite if he is to bring the Titans out of Super Bowl purgatory. Many fans recognize this reality. Some have already talked themselves into Will Levis becoming an elite NFL QB, and some still don’t believe he will ever become the elite QB he needs to be, and that will only continue to make Will Levis a controversial figure amongst Titans fans and the rest of the NFL for years to come.