Will Levis's Leadership Showing With Titans

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Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis is entering his first season as the franchise quarterback, and there's a difference in how he is approaching things compared to his rookie year.
"I think last year, stepping in, not being the guy until about midway through the season, I kinda had to play that role of being a leader however I could, mostly just through my actions and how I worked and showing the guys that I have the capabilities to be the quarterback this team needs," Levis said via CBS Sports' Jordan Dajani. "That led to playing, which led to more confidence, so then ending the season going into the next year knowing that I was going to be the starter, started to make some things click in my brain and understand how I can lean into this leadership role and figure out on my own what kind of leader I want to be for this team."
Some quarterbacks are given the keys to the franchise immediately, but Levis had to be patient as the Titans were giving Ryan Tannehill a final chance to prove he still had something in the tank. However, Levis was named the starter midway through the year, which didn't set the Titans on a path towards success.
It's hard for a team to rally behind a quarterback when he isn't on the field, but Levis has the chance with a new coaching staff and season to start fresh and really take over the reins.
"It's on me as the quarterback to make sure that I keep everyone together and that we all are working towards the same common goal which is the Super Bowl, and we've been making strides the past couple weeks just throughout training camp, and it's been really cool to see," Levis said.
Levis and the Titans are far away from Super Bowl contention, but this is the direction the second-year quarterback has to go in so that Tennessee can get a little bit closer.
Levis will lead the Titans in this week's preseason contest against the Seattle Seahawks. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
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Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.