Nashville moves on from the former second-round pick following a turbulent tenure marked by inconsistent play, injury, and the arrival of a new franchise cornerstone under center.
The Tennessee Titans officially parted ways with quarterback Will Levis on Sunday during the NFL roster cuts.
Levis spent three years with the Titans.
After watching the interview that Levis had in the postgame on Saturday Night, it was clear he knew that his time with the Titans was coming to an end. You could tell from watching that Levis was fighting back the emotions after thanking the Titans' ownership.
Levis' NFL career didn't have the easiest of starts.
He was drafted out of Kentucky in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He was thought to be a first-rounder but fell into the second round.
After his fall on draft day, Levis had to wait before his NFL debut. He got his chance when former head coach Mike Vrabel benched starter Ryan Tannehill in Week 8 of Levis' rookie year.
Levis went off against the Atlanta Falcons, throwing for 238 passing yards and four touchdowns. The rest of his rookie season wasn't nearly as magical.
The Titans went 3-5 with Levis as the starter that year. Levis was eventually benched for the final three regular-season games.
The franchise moved on from Tannehill and Vrabel after that season. Brian Callahan named Levis the starter and it didn't go very well. Levis threw for 2,091 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
The Titans went 3-14 but secured the No. 1 overall pick. They drafted Cam Ward and most fans figured that Levis' time was about to be up in Nashville.
Levis stuck around, although he missed all of last year due to shoulder surgery. He fought as he could to make the 53-man roster.
Ultimately, the Titans decided to keep two quarterbacks, as Mitchell Trubisky won the backup job.
When Trubisky was signed by the Titans, Levis' fate was sealed. To his credit, he tried his best and did everything he could.
Levis' confidence didn't waver either. He made a statement earlier in the offseason by saying that there weren't 32 quarterbacks better than him in the NFL.
In my article about the players I thought would be cut by the Titans, I actually had Hendon Hooker getting released instead of Levis.
However, the Titans have waived Hooker as well. That doesn't mean it's the end of his Titans journey, though, as he can still be signed to the practice squad.
At the end of the day, releasing Levis was the right move by the Titans. There was never going to be a chance for him to start on this team again after they drafted Ward.
He may have had a chance to be the team's backup if they hadn't signed Trubisky, but hindsight is always 20/20.
If Levis had stayed with the Titans, he would never have gotten a chance to start. He'll be going to a different team that needs a quarterback, and he's going to get that chance.
The Levis era in Music City had its ups and downs. I'll never forget the 2024 season when I would look forward to seeing what kind of meme-worthy play Levis would cook up next.
The city of Nashville fell in love with Levis because of who he is as a person. Here's hoping he lands in a good situation and has the opportunity to be a starter in this league again.
