Titans QB Will Levis is out for the 2025 season after shoulder surgery, thrusting rookie Cam Ward into the starting role. How will the No. 1 pick handle it?
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
Just as the doors opened for 2025 training camp, they slammed shut on Will Levis's season. The Tennessee Titans delivered a bombshell announcement Tuesday that their quarterback will undergo surgery on his throwing shoulder and miss the entire year, a devastating blow that immediately ends the planned QB competition and thrusts No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward into the starting role.
'Nobody wants to put a measuring stick on success for 2025.' - Titans President of Football Operations Chad Brinker
The team confirmed that Levis, who battled an AC joint injury last season, made the difficult decision to have surgery to ensure his long-term health. It's a tough break for the third-year QB, who showed flashes of potential in 2024, finishing with 2,091 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 12 starts. While the organization publicly supported his 'professionalism and leadership,' the reality is that his development hits a massive roadblock, leaving his future with the franchise in question.
The biggest beneficiary of this unfortunate news is, of course, rookie quarterback Cam Ward. The much-hyped competition for the starting job is over before it began. Ward, the top pick in the 2025 draft, will now command the huddle and take the vast majority of first-team reps. The training wheels are off, and the pressure is immense. Behind him, veterans Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle will provide support, but there's no ambiguity: the success or failure of the 2025 Titans offense rests squarely on the shoulders of a rookie.
As if losing the starting quarterback wasn't enough, the Titans reported to camp with other significant injury concerns. President Chad Brinker and GM Mike Borgonzi confirmed that two of their most important offseason additions, cornerback L’Jarius Sneed and center Lloyd Cushenberry, are both considered week-to-week with lingering injuries. This news only fuels the narrative from critics who panned the team's expensive 2024 free agent class, which included Cushenberry and the now-injured Sneed. With Sneed out, the team is actively looking to add depth at a suddenly thin cornerback position.
In their opening press conference, the Titans' leadership was quick to manage expectations. Coming off a dismal 3-14 season, Brinker made it clear that the organization is not defining success with a win total this year. 'Nobody wants to put a measuring stick on success for 2025,' he stated, signaling a clear focus on player development and a long-term rebuild. Given the rash of injuries and the reliance on a rookie QB, this philosophy of patience seems less like a choice and more like a necessity.
With Will Levis on the shelf, key players hobbled, and the front office preaching patience, the 2025 season has a clear narrative before the first pads have even clashed. This is Cam Ward's team now. The entire season will be a trial by fire for the rookie quarterback and a test of the new front office's long-term vision. The road to the season opener in Denver on September 7 just got a lot steeper.
