Mike Vrabel Names QB Will Levis as Permanent Starter for Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans will see rookie quarterback Will Levis continue to be the starter regardless of health of Ryan Tannehill according to head coach Mike Vrabel on Tuesday.

The Tennessee Titans got a shot of energy in the past two weeks from the play of their rookie quarterback Will Levis and they are looking to continue that the rest of the season. According to head coach Mike Vrabel, Levis will be the starter the rest of the year.

"Let me just kind of clean things up going forward," Vrabel announced. "Will's going to be our quarterback. We're going to go with Will. We think that's the best opportunity for our football team right now. We'll see where he's at. I think Ryan (Tannehill) will progress through here this week. I think and hopeful to be a backup for us and prepare as a starter, but that's where we are at right now. I shared that with the team and had a conversation with everybody involved. So, that's what that will look like."

That means that regardless of the health of Ryan Tannehill, who has been the starter for the past four years, Levis will remain in the driver seat. A true changing of the guard for the Titans.

This was always the smart decision as the Titans sit at 3-5. There is an argument to be made that developing the future of this team is what should be prioritized through the next nine games. There is also an argument to be made that Levis is the better quarterback right now anyways.

Regardless of whether either or both of those arguments are true, Levis was the right choice. Levis had some incredible plays in his first two starts, but there is also a lot of room for improvement. 

No better time to get make those improvements than in a season that doesn't look to have a deep playoff run up it's sleeve. And if it does, Levis captaining the run would be even better for his development than anything else could be.

At the end of the day though, what we know now is that Will Levis is the future of this team for the foreseeable future and Vrabel understands that. Now, all the drama and talk around this decision can end.

Related Titans stories

• WILL LEVIS FILM ROOM: The Tennessee Titans are getting a look at rookie quarterback Will Levis and he showed all of the chaotic gorgeousness we expected from his college tape when the Titans lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 9. CLICK HERE
• MARTAVIS BRYANT WORKOUT: The Tennessee Titans are always looking for more help and according to a new report from Jordan Schultz, the Titans plan to work out previously-suspended wide receiver Martavis Bryant prior to their Week 10 game. CLICK HERE
• WEEK 9 DEFENSIVE GRADES: The Tennessee Titans did not get a great performance from the defense against the Pittsburgh Steelers and with that there are some ugly player grades on that side of the ball. CLICK HERE
• WEEK 9 OFFENSIVE GRADES: The Tennessee Titans' offense was up and down against a tough Pittsburgh Steelers' defense. The player grades from the offense show some interesting things, especially on the offensive line. CLICK HERE
• VRABEL TRADE TO PATS?: There are some rumblings out of New England that the Patriots want Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel to be their next head coach. The Titans are in rebuild mode, so would it make sense to actually trade their head coach for draft capital? CLICK HERE
• VRABEL MUM ON QB DECISION: The Tennessee Titans have a decision to make at quarterback soon as Ryan Tannehill gets back to health, but despite rookie Will Levis playing well in two games in Tannehill's absence, Mike Vrabel isn't ready to declare a starter. CLICK HERE
• WEEK 9 DRIVE CHART: The Tennessee Titans took on the Pittsburgh Steelers in a primetime tilt on Thursday Night Football and left with a loss by a score of 20-16. The offense didn't do enough, but there were good moments for the team in a tough environment. CLICK HERE