NASHVILLE – The Titans have officially made a change at the quarterback position.
Coach Brian Callahan on Wednesday said veteran Mason Rudolph will be the starter for the team’s game vs the Colts this Sunday in Indianapolis.
The move sends Will Levis to the bench, and it comes just three days after Levis turned the ball over four times against the Bengals.
“Those are decisions that aren’t easy to come by,” Callahan said. “At the end of the day, felt like it was the best thing for our team these last few weeks to see what Mason can bring offensively.
“I think I should be very clear about this: This does not mean this is the end of Will’s ability to be a good quarterback. Situationally, in the season, I felt like we needed a spark at the quarterback position.”
Rudolph, in his seventh NFL season, started three games in place of an injured Levis earlier this season.
Rudolph has completed 97-of-154 passes for 1,015 yards and six touchdowns this season, along with five interceptions. His passer rating is 81.5 on the season.
Rudolph completed 21-of-26 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns with a 109.8 rating in relief of Levis last week against the Bengals. He won his only career start against the Colts back in 2019 while with the Steelers, completing 26-of-35 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown in that contest.
“I’m excited, and thankful to get another opportunity to go out there and play with this team,” Rudolph said. “It will be fun to get out there and play football again on Sunday.
“… I am sympathetic (for Will), because I know what it feels like for the switch to be made. He’s a good guy, we have a good relationship, and he’s been supportive. We’ve always had each other’s backs.”
In his 11 starts this season, Levis has completed 181-of-284 passes for 1,916 yards with 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, along with a passer rating of 79.8. Levis has been sacked 40 times this season.
Levis will be the back-up on Sunday against the Colts.
He doesn’t necessarily believe this is the end for him in Tennessee, or the NFL.
“It’s been tough, it’s been difficult, and I’m definitely disappointed,” Levis said of the decision. “But I’m still on the team, and I am going to do whatever I can to help us win this week.
“I still believe that I can be the franchise quarterback for this team. I have the utmost confidence in myself and my ability to lead any team in this league, and I think this year has been great development for me. … I know there’s a positive future for me, whether it is here or somewhere else, and I just have to have the conversations I need to here, and hopefully I can show and prove that I can still be the guy.”
Source: Tennesseetitans.com
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