LAS VEGAS – A lot of changes are happening around Titans quarterback Will Levis.
In the last month, his first NFL head coach was dismissed, and the franchise hired his replacement a few weeks later. The team also has a new offensive coordinator, and a bunch of new additions to the coaching staff.
In the coming weeks and months, Levis will learn a new offense, around plenty of new teammates following free agency, and another NFL Draft.
It's going to take some getting used to, for sure.
Levis, however, has proven to be a quick learner.
An example: Here on Wednesday, Levis played in the same foursome as golfer Phil Mickelson in the LIV Golf Las Vegas Pro Am at the Las Vegas Country Club. While on the course, Mickelson gave Levis a few tips on chipping.
By round's end, Levis had put the teaching to use, in impressive fashion.
"I have never taken any kind of golf lessons in my life, and I feel like I learned more about chipping in the 10-minute lesson he gave me today than anything I have learned in my entire life," Levis said of Mickelson. "I was all ears, and it paid off, because I chipped one in for a nice birdie on 15, followed by a nice putt for a birdie on 16 as well."
It was a day to remember for Levis, who has plenty on his mind, and on his Las Vegas agenda, coming off his rookie season in the NFL.
On Wednesday night, Levis tackled a number of topics in an interview with TennesseeTitans.com leading up to Super Bowl LVIII. Levis was taking part in the Proctor & Gamble Battle of the Paddles table tennis tournament, along with a number of other NFL players. Levis, for the record, beat Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence 15-8 in a matchup of the AFC South quarterbacks.
Levis has plenty on tap for the days leading up to Sunday, when he plans to be leaving Las Vegas.
"The Super Bowl in Vegas, the best event of the year in the entertainment capital of the world," Levis said with a smile. "So, they are definitely doing it up this year. But I'm not going to the game. I want my first time being (at the Super Bowl) to be when I am playing in it. I'd much rather not being enjoying all this and playing in (the Super Bowl) for sure."
Coming off a season when the Titans finished 6-11, the franchise parted ways with head coach Mike Vrabel.
Levis acknowledged the news surprised him, but he said he appreciates the supportive comments made by controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk since. He's also been buoyed by the excitement and enthusiasm he's seen from his new head coach, Brian Callahan.
"It is a business, and all these decisions are made each and every year," Levis said of the coaching change. "It was surprising, and there was that limbo period of: What is going to happen with everyone else once we hired somebody? It was definitely a little uncomfortable, because we have no say in all of it. We all loved playing for coach Vrabes, but we all know Miss Amy and the front office, and the organization, has a plan for us.
"I know I am part of the plan, and for her to think of me and include me in it is really special and makes me want to work even harder."
Levis said the first time he met Callahan was the same day of his introductory press conference at Saint Thomas Sports Park last month.
Levis, shirtless at the time, had just finished a workout when Callahan came into the locker room with his wife, and son.
Levis and Callahan have been in contact on a number of occasions since.
"It's been awesome," Levis said of Callahan. "I've been able to speak with him a few times since then and he's keeping me in the loop about all the hires and how excited he is about everyone we are bringing in on the staff. I'm looking forward to having it all ironed out, and everyone (on the staff) will be in there on Tuesday it looks like."
Levis, in fact, got a call from Callahan on Wednesday.
"You could feel the excitement about the guys he is bringing in, and the guys that we are keeping on the staff," Levis said. "It just seems like he is being very meticulous about each and every one of these decisions, and he feels really strongly that he has hit the nail on the head about the decisions made so far."
Levis said he's optimistic about the new offense, and what Callahan has in store. He's well aware of his history with some of the NFL's top quarterbacks, from Peyton Manning to Matthew Stafford to Derek Carr to Joe Burrow from his days with the Broncos, Lions, Raiders and Bengals, respectively.
Callahan, who will call offensive plays in Tennessee, served as offensive coordinator with the Bengals last season.
"He has been able to work with a great amount of quarterbacks," Levis said of Callahan, "and it gets you excited when you see the track record and you see the stats and you start watching the film of how he is able to run an offense and do it really well at a high level efficiently.
"So, I am excited to work for him and hopefully be that next guy that people mention of guys he's had under his belt."
Levis knows he has to do his part as well.
In 2023, after being inactive the first six games of the season, Levis ended up starting nine games in 2023, and he completed 149-of-255 passes (58.4%) for 1,808 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions, with a passer rating of 84.2.
"Definitely not satisfied," Levis said. "I know we had the opportunity to win a lot more games than we did, but you can't fret about all those things, all you can do is look at the tape and do what you can to improve. For me, for one, it's about getting healthy, which I am close to now, which is a great feeling. Having my body feel this way and as good as it has in 25 weeks or so is really cool. And, I am looking forward to just getting my athleticism back a little bit, getting my legs back, and just being able to be more of a (complete) player than I was this past year."
Levis said he knows the NFL is all about changes.
In addition to the coaching staff, roster decisions will have to be made in the coming months as well.
Levis raved about running back Derrick Henry, and how he treated him as a rookie. He'd love to see Henry, who has an expiring contract, return.
"Derrick has been great," Levis said. "The week when I got the (starting) nod against Atlanta he came up to me early in the week and instilled confidence in me, telling me that everyone is behind me, and they have my back. … And then he goes about his business, banged up, and he does his job and didn't complain.
"I hope that he gets what he wants, and we are able to make something work. It would be great to spend another year with him."
Levis said he learned from another veteran – DeAndre Hopkins – as well, as they built chemistry and got on the same page.
"Hopefully with Cally and everything," Levis said, "we can figure out how what works and what the leash will look like with (Hopkins) and those types of things, if we are able to keep him on the roster."
For at least another day or so, Levis plans to enjoy himself in Las Vegas.
After spending some time at the end of the 2023 season lifting weights and rehabbing, Levis went to the beach, what he calls, "my happy place, my recharge environment" before heading to Vegas.
Soon, it will be time to get back to work.
He plans to be back in Nashville, at back at the facility, on Tuesday.
"Getting everyone in there and getting started with the learning of the offense and everything, I'm pumped," Levis said. "I'm ready to get to work."
