Steelers Next Opponent Turning to Rookie Quarterback

The Tennessee Titans are preparing to start former Penn State quarterback Will Levis Sunday against the Falcons, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wednesday morning. The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to host the Titans in Week 9.

He will start in place of Ryan Tannehill, who is dealing with an ankle injury. Levis was Tennessee’s second-round selection in this year’s draft.

He was expected to go in the first round, if not the top three. But to pretty much everyone’s surprise, Levis didn’t go until pick No. 33. Levis’ slide was probably the most intriguing storyline of this year’s draft. ESPN’s cameras constantly showed him waiting in the green room. Nonetheless, Levis found a home.

He didn’t play much in the preseason due to injury and ended it 9-for-14 with 85 yards. With the Titans, he has been behind 2022 draft pick Malik Willis, but will now apparently start ahead of Willis, with the athletic Liberty alum falling out of favor.

Before the NFL, he was Kentucky’s starting QB for two seasons. In two seasons at Kentucky, he threw 43 touchdown passes, 23 interceptions and completed more than 65 percent of his passes.

He had a 17-7 record as Kentucky’s starter. Last season, the team went 10-3 and beat Iowa in the Citrus Bowl. This year, Kentucky finished the regular season 7-5 and awaits when, where and who it will play in its bowl game. Before Kentucky, Levis played at Penn State from 2018-20. He earned playing time in his last two seasons, even starting a game ieach year, against Rutgers in 2019 and Iowa in 2020, both at Beaver Stadium.

Although Sean Clifford was Penn State’s starter in 2020, Levis appeared in eight of Penn State’s nine games, being used often as a runner. From 2019-20, Levis rushed for a combined 473 yards, a number that wasn’t far behind his 644 passing yards.

The Steelers play the Tennessee Titans at home on Thursday, Nov. 2 in Week 9.

A version of this story first appeared at our partner site, Nittany Sports Now.