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Will Levis

William Donovan Levis (LEV-is; born June 27, 1999) is an American professional football quarterback for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions and Kentucky Wildcats before being selected by the Titans in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft.

Will Levis
refer to caption
Levis with the Titans in 2023
No. 8 – Tennessee Titans
Position:Quarterback
Personal information
Born: (1999-06-27) June 27, 1999 (age 25)
Newton, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:229 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school:Xavier (Middletown, Connecticut)
College:
NFL draft:2023 / round: 2 / pick: 33
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career NFL statistics as of Week 15, 2024
Passing attempts:539
Passing completions:330
Completion percentage:61.2%
TD–INT:20–16
Passing yards:3,724
Passer rating:81.9
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

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Levis was born on June 27, 1999, in Newton, Massachusetts, and grew up in Madison, Connecticut. He attended Xavier High School in Middletown, Connecticut, where he set school records as a senior for passing touchdowns with 27 and passing yards with 2,793.[1][2] Levis committed to Pennsylvania State University to play college football.[3]

College career

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Penn State

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Levis attended Pennsylvania State University from 2018 to 2020. After redshirting his first year, he spent the next two as Sean Clifford's backup. He made his first career start against Rutgers in 2019, completing eight of 14 passes for 81 yards with one touchdown and one interception with 108 rushing yards.[4][5][6] Overall at Penn State, he completed 61 of 102 passes for 644 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for 473 yards and six touchdowns.

Kentucky

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Levis transferred to the University of Kentucky in 2021,[7] after having graduated that May with a bachelor's degree in finance from Penn State's Smeal College of Business.[1] He was named the starter to open the season and in his first start threw for 367 yards and four touchdowns.[8][9][10] Levis started all 13 games for Kentucky, completing 233 of 353 passes for 2,827 yards and 24 touchdown passes while running for 376 yards and nine touchdowns on 107 rushes. Levis led the team to a victory over No. 15 Iowa in the 2022 Citrus Bowl.

College statistics

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Season Games Passing Rushing
GP GS Record Cmp Att Pct Yds Avg TD Int Rtg Att Yds Avg TD
Penn State Nittany Lions
2018 Redshirted Redshirt 
2019 6 1 1−0 28 47 59.6 223 4.7 2 2 105.0 51 213 4.2 3
2020 8 1 0−1 33 55 60.0 421 7.7 1 0 130.3 82 260 3.2 3
Kentucky Wildcats
2021 13 13 10−3 233 353 66.0 2,826 8.0 24 13 148.3 107 376 3.5 9
2022 11 11 7−4 185 283 65.4 2,406 8.5 19 10 151.9 72 107 1.5 2
Career 38 26 18−8 479 738 64.9 5,876 8.0 46 25 145.6 312 742 2.4 17

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span Vertical jump Broad jump
6 ft 3+7⁄8 in
(1.93 m) 		229 lb
(104 kg) 		32 in
(0.81 m) 		10+5⁄8 in
(0.27 m)		 34.0 in
(0.86 m)		 10 ft 4 in
(3.15 m)
All values from the NFL Combine[11][12]

Despite initially being projected as a first-round pick, even being rumored to go first overall just days before the draft,[13] Levis surprisingly fell to the second day of the 2023 NFL draft, where the Tennessee Titans traded up to select Levis with the 33rd overall pick in the second round.[14][15]

2023 season

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Levis in 2023
See also: 2023 Tennessee Titans season

Levis began the season as the third string quarterback behind starter Ryan Tannehill and Malik Willis.

In Week 8, on October 29, 2023, with Tannehill sidelined by an ankle injury, Levis made his NFL debut and first start, finishing with 238 passing yards and four touchdowns in a 28–23 win over the Atlanta Falcons.[16][17] In Week 9, Levis made his second start against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football, throwing for 262 yards and an interception in a 20–16 loss.[18] In Week 10, on November 7, 2023, head coach Mike Vrabel announced that Levis would be the starting quarterback for the Titans moving forward, benching Tannehill.[19] On December 11, 2023, Levis threw for 327 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception as the Titans defeated the Miami Dolphins on the road. The Titans trailed by 14 points with 2:49 remaining in the game, but Levis led back-to-back scoring drives to push the Titans ahead by a score of 28–27.[20] This marked Levis' first career 300-yard passing game. Levis finished his rookie season with 1,808 passing yards, 8 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions.[21]

2024 season

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Levis during a practice in 2024
See also: 2024 Tennessee Titans season

Levis became the Titans' starting quarterback for the 2024 season following the departures of Tannehill and Willis, with newly signed Mason Rudolph named as backup.[22] Levis began the season with a rocky start, going 1-4 during his first five games while completing 86 out of 125 passes for 699 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions.[23] Levis led the league in total turnovers during this period,[24] including one that notably went viral of Levis falling to his knees after throwing an interception during a fourth quarter lead against the Chicago Bears in their season opener.[25][26]

During their first 31–12 victory over the Miami Dolphins on September 30, Levis injured his AC joint after diving on a third down and was relieved by Rudolph.[27][28] Although Levis was cleared after a bye week and played Week 6's 20–17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts,[29] he was sidelined again for the next three games after re-aggravating the injury he sustained against the Dolphins.

He made his return on Week 10 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Levis had a stronger showing during a Week 11 loss against the Minnesota Vikings, throwing for 295 yards, 1 interception, and a career high 98-yard touchdown to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, which tied the franchise record for longest passing touchdown.[30] Levis' improvement continued the following week, leading the Titans to a 32–27 upset against the rival Houston Texans, completing 18 out of 24 passes for 278 total yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception.[31] On Week 13, Levis completed 18 of 37 passes for 212 yards, two touchdowns, and no turnovers during the following road match against the Washington Commanders, a mixed performance on a harsh 19–42 loss that was marked by team fumbles and a 0–28 deficit in the first half.[32] The Titans' woes continued with a 6–10 loss at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Week 14, the first game of the season where the Titans were unable to score a touchdown, and culminated in the following week's 27–37 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. Against the Bengals, Levis completed 8 out of 12 passes for 89 yards and three interceptions, ultimately leading to a replacement by Rudolph in the third quarter.[33][34]

NFL career statistics

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Year Team Games Passing Rushing Sacks Fumbles
GP GS Record Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A Lng TD Int Rtg Att Yds Y/A Lng TD Sck SckY Fum Lost
2023 TEN 9 9 3–6 149 255 58.4 1,808 7.1 61 8 4 84.2 25 57 2.3 11 1 28 185 7 4
2024 TEN 11 11 2–9 181 284 63.7 1,916 6.7 98 12 12 79.8 41 175 4.3 21 0 40 225 8 5
Career 20 20 5–15 330 539 61.2 3,724 6.9 98 20 16 81.9 66 232 3.5 21 1 68 410 15 9

Personal life

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Levis's father, Mike, played football at Denison University, an NCAA Division III school in Ohio, while his mom, Beth Kelley, was a two-time All-American soccer player at Yale.[35] His great-grandfather Alva Kelley was an All-American football player at Cornell University and later a head coach for three college teams.[36] Levis graduated from Penn State's Smeal College of Business with a bachelor's degree in finance.[37]

Levis gained media attention in the build-up to the 2023 draft for his strange eating and drinking habits, most notably eating unpeeled bananas and drinking coffee with mayonnaise. Levis announced on August 22, 2023, that he had signed a lifetime supply contract of Hellmann's mayonnaise.[38][39] In August 2024, Hellmann's announced it was creating a fragrance inspired by Levis named "Will Levis No. 8, Parfum de Mayonnaise".[40]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Will Levis". Kentucky Wildcats Athletics. June 30, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  2. ^ Burns, Joe (November 15, 2017). "Nothing Normal About Xavier QB Will Levis". courant.com. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  3. ^ Bittner, Adam (July 15, 2017). "Three-star QB Will Levis commits to Penn State". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  4. ^ "First-team reps benefitting Penn State QB Will Levis ahead of Saturday". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 28, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  5. ^ Juliano, Joe (November 30, 2019). "Penn State overcomes lethargic start, defeats Rutgers, 27-6, and awaits bowl destination". Inquirer.com. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  6. ^ Flounders, Bob (December 1, 2019). "Penn State's Will Levis, thrust into a starting role vs. Rutgers, now knows the painful price the Lions' QB must pay". pennlive. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  7. ^ Donohue, Tyler (February 5, 2021). "Penn State QB transfer Will Levis heading to Kentucky". 247Sports. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  8. ^ Scarborough, Alex (August 15, 2021). "UK names Penn State transfer Levis starting QB". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  9. ^ Story, Mark (September 21, 2021). "After a summer of hype, Will Levis leaves Kentucky football fans wanting more". Kentucky.com. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  10. ^ Hale, Jon (September 7, 2021). "How Will Levis' Kentucky football debut compares to best QB performances of Stoops era". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  11. ^ "Will Levis Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  12. ^ "Will Levis, DS #4 QB, Kentucky". DraftScout.com. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  13. ^ Bumbaca, Chris (April 26, 2023). "Will Levis' betting odds to be NFL draft's No. 1 pick soared after Reddit post. Here's what we know". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  14. ^ Walker, Teresa M. (April 28, 2023). "Titans trade up, end QB Will Levis' wait in NFL draft". AP NEWS. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  15. ^ Wyatt, Jim (April 28, 2023). "Titans Move Up, Select QB Will Levis in Second Round of Friday's NFL Draft". Tennessee Titans. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  16. ^ Busbee, Jay (October 30, 2023). "Will Levis cannonballs into the NFL with spectacular 4-touchdown debut". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  17. ^ Davenport, Turron (October 29, 2023). "Will Levis, DeAndre Hopkins hook up for 3 TDs to lead Titans". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  18. ^ "Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers - November 2nd, 2023". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  19. ^ Wyatt, Jim (November 7, 2023). "Rookie Will Levis Named as Titans Starting Quarterback". Tennessee Titans.
  20. ^ Suss, Nick (December 12, 2023). "Fearless Will Levis recounts improbable Tennessee Titans comeback". The Tennessean. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  21. ^ "Will Levis 2023 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  22. ^ Suss, Nick (September 19, 2024). "What Tennessee Titans say about Malik Willis' return, and what history says about matchup". The Tennessean. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  23. ^ Rexrode, Joe. "Titans QB Will Levis to start vs. Chargers, coach Brian Callahan says". The Athletic. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  24. ^ Davenport, Turron (October 16, 2024). "Titans still trying to figure what works best with Will Levis". ESPN. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  25. ^ Patra, Kevin (September 24, 2024). "Will Levis laments 'bonehead' pick-six in Titans' loss to Bears: 'They didn't win that game. We lost that game'". NFL.com. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  26. ^ Murphy, Bryan (September 30, 2024). "Will Levis 'Surrender Cobra' meme, explained: Why photo of Titans QB on knees after INT has become viral hit". The Sporting News. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  27. ^ Rexrode, Joe. "Titans grind out first victory of season with run-heavy attack vs. Dolphins: Key takeaways". Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  28. ^ "Titans quarterback Will Levis injures shoulder in the 1st quarter against the Dolphins". APNews.com. September 30, 2024.
  29. ^ "Colts 20-17 Titans (Oct 13, 2024)". StatMuse. October 13, 2024. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  30. ^ Owens, Jason (November 17, 2024). "Titans QB Will Levis throws longest touchdown pass of NFL season with 98-yarder to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  31. ^ Dimmitt, Zach (November 24, 2024). "Will Levis Leads Titans to Upset Over Texans". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  32. ^ Suss, Nick (December 1, 2024). "Atrocious start buries Tennessee Titans in ugly, progress-stalling loss vs Commanders". Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  33. ^ "Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans - December 8th, 2024". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  34. ^ "Cincinnati Bengals at Tennessee Titans - December 15th, 2024". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  35. ^ Truax, Barkley (August 3, 2021). "Will Levis comes from a family of athletes". Kentucky Kernel. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  36. ^ McGonigal, John (June 5, 2019). "'Never give up': How Penn State QB Will Levis draws inspiration from his grandfather". CentreDaily.com. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  37. ^ Benedetto, Matt (April 28, 2023). "Former Penn State quarterback Will Levis drafted by Titans". ABC27. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  38. ^ "MAYO MACCHIATO OR MOCHA? WILL LEVIS SIGNS LIFETIME DEAL WITH HELLMAN'S MAYONNAISE". FoxSports. August 22, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  39. ^ Treacy, Dan (March 4, 2023). "Legend of Will Levis: Why NFL Draft prospect puts mayo in his coffee, eats bananas whole". Sporting News. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  40. ^ "Smells like mayo: Titans QB Will Levis introduces fragrance made by Hellmann's Mayonnaise". FOX Sports. August 13, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
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