Will Levis believes he can still be starter as Titans career stalls: ‘Know that for sure’

Nypost · Aug 02, 2026 · 368 words · By Howie Kussoy

NFL Roster Competition Athlete Confidence vs. Reality

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What to know about NFL Roster Competition

Will Levis doesn’t lack confidence — just perspective.

Claims checked 11

Techniques found 1

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

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Right100%

1 source compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Will Levis doesn’t lack confidence — just perspective.

Why it matters

Even as Levis enters his fourth NFL season with an inside track towards becoming the third-string quarterback for one of the worst teams in the league, the former Kentucky star — and one-time No.

Common ground

1 overall pick candidate — expects another shot at being QB1 one day.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this NFL Roster Competition story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that previously worked with new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll in Buffalo?
How does this story connect NFL Roster Competition with Athlete Confidence vs. Reality over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/08/02/sports/will-levis-believes-he-can-still-be-starter…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 11 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 6

verified Verified By Reference 3

schedule Pending 1

info Single Source 1

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Claim 1: “previously worked with new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll in Buffalo”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 2: “putting Tennessee in position to earn the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and select franchise quarterback Cam Ward”

CORROBORATED

Wikipedia and multiple news sources (MARCA, etc.) confirm the Tennessee Titans held the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and selected Cam Ward.

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web search NEUTRAL — The Tennessee Titans held the first overall pick and selected Cam Ward, a quarterback from the Miami Hurricanes.The 2025 NFL draft was the 90th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_NFL_draft

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web search NEUTRAL — Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan raves about new QB Cam Ward Titans coach Brian Callahan discussed his feelings on QB Cam Ward, who the team picked No. 1 overall in 2025 NFL Draft. 0:51. Now Play…
https://sports.yahoo.com/video/cam-ward-reacts-being-picked-…

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web search NEUTRAL — Quarterback Cam Ward, selected by the Tennessee Titans as the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, speaks during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Friday, April 25, 2025,…
https://www.marca.com/en/nfl/tennessee-titans/2025/04/27/680…

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Claim 3: “It has been nearly two years since Levis has put anything on tape, having missed all of last season after undergoing surgery on his throwing arm.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources (Fox News, Yahoo Sports, Something Awful) report that Will Levis is undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder and will miss the 2025 season.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2023 NFL draft was the 88th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible players for the 2023 season. The draft was held outside of Union Station in Kansas …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_NFL_draft

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2024 season was the Tennessee Titans' 55th in the National Football League (NFL), their 65th overall, their 28th in the state of Tennessee, their second and final under general manager Ran Carthon…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Tennessee_Titans_season

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 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 P…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Levis

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “Levis, 27, spent parts of two seasons as Tennessee’s starter”

CORROBORATED

Web search results explicitly state 'Levis, 27, spent parts of two seasons as Tennessee’s starter'.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 season is the Tennessee Titans' 57th in the National Football League (NFL), their 67th overall, their 30th in the state of Tennessee, their second under general manager Mike Borgonzi, and the…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Tennessee_Titans_season

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+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 5: “the former Kentucky star — and one-time No. 1 overall pick candidate”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia confirms Will Levis played college football for the Kentucky Wildcats. General football knowledge and draft context support his status as a top pick candidate prior to the 2023 draft.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2022 Southeastern Conference football season is the 90th season of Southeastern Conference (SEC) football, taking place during the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The season began on Aug…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Southeastern_Conference_f…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mark Thomas Stoops (born July 9, 1967) is an American college football coach and former player who is the special assistant to the head coach at the University of Texas. He most recently served as hea…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Stoops

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+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 6: “Levis enters his fourth NFL season”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While evidence confirms Will Levis is a Titans QB, the provided search results do not explicitly state he is entering his 'fourth' NFL season. He was drafted in 2023, meaning 2025 would be his third season, not fourth.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 7: “Hendon Hooker [was a] 2023 third-round pick”

CORROBORATED

Although the specific 'Evidence for claim 8' section was empty, the evidence provided for claim 7 explicitly mentions '2023 third-round pick Hendon Hooker'.

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Claim 8: “Trubisky, who signed a two-year, $10.5 million deal before the season”

SINGLE SOURCE

The specific detail of a 'two-year, $10.5 million deal' for Trubisky appears in one web search result provided in the context of claim 7, but is not corroborated by other independent sources in the provided evidence.

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Claim 9: “In 2024, the Titans went 2-10 with Levis under center”

CORROBORATED

Three independent web sources (Yahoo Sports, OutKick, and another news source) explicitly state the Titans had a 2-10 record when Levis was under center in 2024.

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web search NEUTRAL — Levis started nine games as a rookie, ending with a 3-6 record and eight touchdowns to four interceptions. He followed that up with 12 starts as a sophomore in 2024, but the Titans had just a 2-10 rec…
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/levis-drops-overly-confide…

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web search NEUTRAL — The Tennessee Titans finished 2024 tied for the worst record in the NFL, but due to the strength of schedule tiebreaker, they were rewarded with the No. 1 pick.The Titans had a 2-10 record when Levis …
https://fansided.com/will-levis-ages-like-mayonnaise-in-coff…

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web search NEUTRAL — This past year, Levis was given the opportunity to start the full season. The former second-round pick would start just 12 games, throwing for 2,091 yards, 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions on a 63.1…
https://www.outkick.com/sports/titans-brass-remain-cryptic-a…

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Claim 10: “Levis is competing with veteran Mitchell Trubisky for the backup job, in addition to 2023 third-round pick Hendon Hooker”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web sources report that Levis is competing with Mitchell Trubisky and Hendon Hooker for backup roles.

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web search NEUTRAL — Now, Levis is competing with veteran Mitchell Trubisky for the backup job, in addition to 2023 third-round pick Hendon Hooker. Trubisky, who signed a two-year, $10.5 million deal before the season, pr…
https://nypost.com/2026/08/02/sports/will-levis-believes-he-…

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web search NEUTRAL — The Titans also added Hendon Hooker, a quarterback who was selected after Levis in the same draft, further adding competition to the position.Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis (8) runs a drill d…
https://athlonsports.com/nfl/tennessee-titans/will-levis-tit…

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web search NEUTRAL — Tennessee Titans backup quarterback Will Levis believes his future in the NFL is as a starting quarterback.In the offseason, the Titans signed veterans Mitchell Trubisky and Hendon Hooker in free agen…
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/titans/2026/08/01/…

verified

Claim 11: “sliding to the second round in the 2023 NFL Draft”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Multiple sources, including Pro-football-reference and news reports, confirm Levis was selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2023 NFL season was the 104th season of the National Football League (NFL). The regular season began on September 7, 2023, with defending Super Bowl LVII champion Kansas City losing to Detroit in …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_NFL_season

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+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.