The Tennessee Titans selected Cam Ward as their future quarterback with the first overall pick in the 2025 Draft, marking the beginning of a new era for the franchise. Given the competitive level of the conference, finding a high-upside quarterback was a pressing need.
Will Levis, a second-round pick in 2023, was the starter at the beginning of the 2024 season but failed to stand out and was eventually benched. However, a Titans offensive tackle revealed how Levis handles Ward’s arrival and the mindset both quarterbacks have adopted this offseason.

Titans QB Will Levis Refuses to Hand Starting Job to Cam Ward in His Second NFL Season
At the end of the last decade, the Titans had a competitive team that made the playoffs three straight times, going as far as the AFC Championship Game in the 2019 season and earning the No. 1 seed in 2021. Since that season, the Titans have regressed year after year, finishing with the worst record last season.
This led the team to pursue Ward, who had an impressive college season and was considered the highest-upside quarterback in the draft. His arrival naturally means Levis will head to the bench. It would not be peculiar for a No. 1 overall pick to sit behind a young quarterback who has yet to prove himself in the NFL.
However, tackle JC Latham revealed that Levis’ mindset isn’t to simply accept that and hand over the job to Ward. Both quarterbacks are pushing each other in practice, keeping the competition alive.
“Cam’s not gonna expect it to be just given to him…”@Titans OT JC Latham on the QB competition between Cam Ward & Will Levis and the leadership Ward has already started to show.
📻 https://t.co/ROaoooKTca#TitanUp pic.twitter.com/3w6LO300Kq
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) July 3, 2025
“If you’re a ball player, if you love this game, then, you know Will’s just not going to sit over here and say ‘Oh, we drafted him. Go ahead and take it.’ And Cam’s not going to expect it to be just given to him. And throughout the spring, I think that’s the one thing that, all the coaches and players on the team have seen, like, both of them taking the challenge of trying to really earn on the spot and really fight for the spot.”
That competitive mindset has already begun to transform the quarterback room in ways that extend beyond just on-field performance.
Ward’s Early Leadership Emergence Shapes Titans’ Quarterback Future
Latham revealed that the competition has pushed both quarterbacks to take on leadership roles and grow, which is necessary because, according to the tackle, the team follows the tone set by the quarterback. There has to be confidence that the one in command knows what he’s doing.
The dynamic between Ward and Levis represents a crucial element in the Titans’ rebuilding process. While Ward brings the pedigree of a top draft pick, Levis has NFL experience and knowledge of the system. This competition could benefit the players and the team as they establish a new identity.
The Titans are projected to win just two games this season, even with Ward’s arrival. The team lacks talent, especially on offense, and that’s not something likely to change in just one offseason. Fans should look for Ward’s development throughout the season, and with some luck and new additions in 2026, the team might be able to compete for more.