One of the draws of becoming the head coach of the Tennessee Titans for Brian Callahan was the fact that he had quarterback Will Levis already there.
Callahan has stated on multiple occasions that Levis isn’t just someone he’s inheriting, he truly believes in the Kentucky product, something he explained in detail during a recent interview with Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
In what is a fantastic article you should definitely check out, Breer sits down with both Callahan and Levis and goes over some of the signal-caller’s tape, and Callahan explained exactly what makes Levis special.
While the team was prepping for the draft, Callahan told general manager Carthon why he was so high on Levis and noted that he didn’t think anyone in the 2024 class was better than the 2023 pick.
“I’d told Ran the truth,” Callahan said. “I said he has real talent, real ability and I think he’s got a chance to be a very good starting quarterback in the NFL. He’s got enough tools to where his ceiling is high. If he’s all the things mentally you need to be to play quarterback, his physical talent, it’s a high ceiling. He’s got a chance to be (a) really, really good, top-end starting quarterback. And I believe that.”
“[The scouts] still do their due diligence and put grades on guys and all that. I had the conversation with Ran. Part of it was like, if Will’s coming out in this draft class, I don’t know that I feel like anybody is better than him at this point.”
Callahan then showed Breer one of the plays that made him a believer. It wasn’t one of Levis’ touchdowns, either, but rather an incompletion during his debut against the Atlanta Falcons.
It was a play in which Levis was under pressure and took contact but was still able to get off an accurate deep ball to Treylon Burks, who went on to not reel it in.
Callahan went on to point out that Levis should’ve dumped it off in the flat, but he was impressed nonetheless.
“This was not an advisable throw, nor was it an advisable position to be in,” Callahan explained. “It was like, Holy s—, this is not smart. I look at it as I go. God, if Will can just learn that on a first-and-10, let’s just throw the ball right there in the flat. That’s Chig’s in the flat. Chig’s in the flat is going to catch this ball, and he’s going to run for 12 yards and it’s going to be first-and-10 again at the 50-yard line. Instead, Will’s trusting his arm and his ability.”
“The other part of this, it’s a [expletive] unbelievable throw,” Callahan added. “You watch it from the end zone, there’s a guy in his face, it’s horrendous eyes, horrendous progression, guy bearing down on him. He can’t step into the throw. This guy’s 40 yards down the field, and he just sort of flicks it while he’s getting hit and drops the ball right in his hands. It’s an incredibly accurate throw for what was going on. I’m watching this, I’m like, Goddamn.”
“First of all, decision-making can be coached,” he continued. “This right here, you don’t coach that. Will’s mom and dad gave that to him.”
Callahan went on to say that he had to keep reminding himself that this was Levis’ first start, making what he saw even more impressive.
“He played the game like someone who’s played the game,” Callahan said. “It didn’t look, at any moment, like the game looked too big or too fast. I didn’t feel like I was watching a rookie.”
One more great quote in the article is Callahan’s reaction to the touchdown pass he threw to DeAndre Hopkins in the same game.
“He puts the ball… it’s in a great spot,” Callahan said. “It’s a big touchdown. I don’t know how you couldn’t watch this and not be like, ‘Hell, yeah, I want to coach this guy.’”
If there was any doubt about Callahan legitimately believing in Levis, these quotes seal the deal. Clearly Titans fans weren’t the only ones who saw something special in Levis.