Will Levis doesn't mind comps to Brett Favre, but says he's toned down 'gunslinger' ways

Will Levis might be the forgotten quarterback from the 2023 NFL Draft class. He was the 33rd pick, so there’s no first-round reputation. However, he earned a starting job just like the bigger rookie names.

And Levis, the former Kentucky standout, also tried to tone down some of his free-wheeling ways. Although some folks compared him to former star Brett Favre, Levis said he tried to get rid of some of the mistakes But it’s OK to call the Titans quarterback a gunslinger, maybe a controlled one.

“I think a lot of people, when they hear gunslinger, they think about recklessness,” Levis told CBS Sports. “I definitely feel like I was a little too reckless in my college career and tried to make some throws that I would want to take back.

And “I changed that mentality a bit in my play last year. Just realizing at the level that I was playing at where I had to be that much more careful with the ball. I was proud of how I was able to protect it a little more than I did in my college years.” 

He added: “The most fun thing to do is win and that’s all I’m trying to do at the end of the day. I think how I’m trying to win might be different than others, and that’s why it’s entertaining, in certain situations at least. But I’m trying to win, and that’s the way to have the most fun. 

Levis replaced Ryan Tannehill in the Titans lineup in late October when the older quarterback was injured. But Tennessee kept Levis in the lineup the rest of the season. The Titans didn’t re-sign Tannehill. In fact, Tannehill still is unsigned as the NFL teams prep for training camps.

Levis started nine games as a rookie, throwing for eight touchdowns and 1,808 yards with four interceptions. However, he and the Titans won only won three of his starts as the team finished 6-11, overall. The team parted ways with coach Mike Vrabel and hired Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as its new head coach. That wasn’t the only major change. Superstar running back Derrick Henry also left the Titans, signing with the Ravens.

Callahan has overhauled the Tennessee passing game. Levis still has DeAndre Hopkins as his main receiver. But the Titans also signed Tyler Boyd from the Bengals and Calvin Ridley from the Jaguars. In addition, they added former Cowboys running back Tony Pollard. And then they used the seventh pick of the first round to select it Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham.

Most oddsmakers believe the Titans will contend for worst team in the NFL. But Levis is optimistic. In July, everyone can be upbeat.

“We want to make a playoff run,” Levis said of the Titans. “That’s the biggest goal for us. Obviously, every team’s goal is going to win a Super Bowl . . . but we’re going to take it one game at a time.

“We know we’ve got a tough schedule, and all we want to do is is play within ourselves, learn from each other, love each other, and prove a lot of people wrong. We know that there’s a lot of doubters out there that don’t think that we’re gonna be worth anything this year.”