Will Levis decision confirmed as Tennessee Titans coach stays true to word

Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan insisted Will Levis will start against the Indianapolis Colts after recovering from his shoulder injury .

In Week 4’s Monday Night Football clash between the Titans and Miami Dolphins , Levis attempted to dive past defender Storm Duck for a first down on a first-quarter scramble . The broadcast showed Levis was on the sidelines where he could be seen mouthing: “I think I just hurt my shoulder.”

Levis was right. He suffered a shoulder injury, with Mason Rudolph stepping in as the Titans emerged 31-12 victors.

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While Levis appeared ready to re-enter the prime-time contest late in the second quarter, he did not take another snap. On ESPN before halftime, Callahan was asked about Levis and said: “It’s just a matter of if he can physically play. If he can play, he’ll go, but Mason’s done a really nice job for us.”

Callahan's comments showed immediate confidence in Levis, who has been ridiculed by fans amid a difficult start to the season. Following the Dolphins win, the first-year head coach insisted Levis remained the starter if healthy, and on Friday, Callahan confirmed the sophomore will start against the Colts in the AFC South showdown.

"He took every rep and made every throw in practice well,” Callahan told reporters. “It hasn't affected his practice or him throwing.”

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Levis was able to fully recover from his right shoulder injury as the extra time off provided by the bye week helped clear his return to the starting lineup. Before going down with his injury against Miami, Levis had completed his first three passes for 25 yards before tossing an inexplicable interception into triple-coverage where defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah was waiting.

Rudolph will be back in the backup role against Indianapolis. A 2018 third-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers , Rudolph - who won three starts and led the AFC North franchise to the playoffs - completed nine of his 17 passes for 85 yards.

Levis admitted he felt sore but was “fighting like hell” to return to action. The 25-year-old is looking to build off the momentum from the win over the Dolphins, even if his role in the victory was limited.

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“I was ecstatic for us to get that win, but it's like - I guess if you have a certain sense of competitiveness in you, you feel that guiltiness,” Levis declared. “It was tough dealing with that for like a day, but just flipping the page, getting ready. Obviously, with an injury to deal with now, I'm just focusing on that.”

The 1-3 Titans take on the 2-3 Colts at Nissan Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 13.

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