Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans QUARTERBACK CONTROVERSY: Cam Ward Confidence, Will Levis Nonsense & Panthers Path

Episode Date: November 17, 2025

The Tennessee Titans lost another game on Sunday and now the boredom with the season has led to one unnecessary phrase, "Quarterback Controversy." This is absurd and there should be no doubt that Cam Ward is the starter in 2026. Looking at recent rookie quarterbacks who went first overall, it is clear the Titans need to have some patience in this situation. Also, the truth is there are no logical alternatives either as fans begin to romanticize Will Levis as the losses and hurt mount in 2025. We know who Levis is and Ward is who they should stick with. Finally, if you need examples of what it could look like, they are all around you. The Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots all show how this rebuild could go, but the coaching hire will be the key.  Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitans TicTacTitans Merchandise: https://dixons-dream.square.site/shop/tictactitans-gear/C3AAPNWXSXA6SBYG3USV2I7R?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=asc Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitans Follow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPod Subscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videos Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!PelotonLet yourself run, lift, flex, and push forward. Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ today at https://www.onepeloton.com.PrizePicksDownload the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFLGametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelRight now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Tennessee Titans do not have a quarterback controversy. They shouldn't have a quarterback competition because Cam Ward is the clear starter in 2026 and it's ridiculous to say otherwise. I'll explain why on today's edition of Locked on Titan. You are Locked on Titans, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to the Locked-on Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland Titans fans. Today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast is brought to you by Fandle. Right now, new customers can bet just $5.

And if your bet wins, you'll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app on today's show. I'm going to tell you why I think it's completely ridiculous. All the conversation talking about a quarterback competition next all season. And I'm going to talk about why I have confidence in Cam Ward, why it's ridiculous that people are romanticizing Will Levis, and I'm going to show you some clear examples why you should have confidence in faith that the Titans and Cam Ward can turn this thing around.

Now, before we get into it, do want to thank you for making Locked On Titans, your first listen, and thank you for making the Locked On Podcast Network the number one. Sports Podcast Network, it's Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content. All year round, always for free.

Make sure that you get subscribed, stay subscribed. It's your team every day. Speaking of every day, shout out to my everydayers out there. Tune in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys. If you aren't an everydayer, you need to be one. Tomorrow I'm going to dive into the tape on what I saw from Cam Ward, Kevin Winston and Marcus Harris, J.C. Latham's performance as well.

And the head coaching search is right around the corner. Make sure that you stay locked in with the Locked on Titans podcast. But again, absolutely ridiculous. for anyone to be talking about a quarterback competition or trying to act like there's some quarterback controversy here for the Tennessee Titans in 2026. Let me make it clear. Cam Ward is the starter in 2026.

Cam Ward should be treated as the starter in 2026. And quite frankly, I think anyone's saying otherwise it's kind of performative outrage. It's kind of rage bait at the end of the day. They want to upset you. They want to anger you. They want to get you to comic back. Be mad.

all of that but it's ridiculous. It is ridiculous to act like the Titans are going to have some kind of open competition for quarterback in 2026 and quite honestly I think that the conversation about that right now is born solely out of frustration that the Tennessee Titans are not winning football games. I think we've gone through such a list of different things to be mad at that the only thing left for people to truly get angry about is Cam Ward's future going forward. Like, that's the thing that'll go to the next step of sadness. It's one thing for the defensive secondary to fall apart, the injuries to hit, the losses to stack up,

the O line to underperform, the wide receivers to all get injured and get hurt, the run game to be terrible. We had so much anger and frustration at the coaching staff over and over, and now there's really nothing left. Can't be mad at the wide receivers underperforming because they're all hurt now. The offensive line has stabilized a little bit.

like they were terrible in this game against the Texans, the offensive line was generally okay. So you can't scream and rave and shout there. The coaches, we know the coaches aren't getting any better. They already fired Brian Callahan. We know this coaching staff on offense is a disaster. How many times in a row can you be mad about that? So now what's happened is people have moved that frustration to, oh, now we need to talk about Cam Ward's future. And again, it's just utter nonsense, in my opinion, when you look at what we've seen. this team is awful. I said it in a little short video

that I put out on Monday afternoon, but like, why did the Tennessee Titans pick number one overall? They picked number one overall because they were a terrible football team. We have seen that be proven out this year. The coaching, bottom of the barrel in the NFL, we know that the offensive...

Listen, I think DeNard Wilson is an okay defensive coordinator. I think he's probably a good guy. defensive coordinator. We know that Jones Bones Fossil is a really good special teams coordinator. I think those coaches are probably doing a decent job. But the offensive coaching that the Tennessee Titans are receiving on that side of the ball

has been terrible from the start. All the way back to install in an offense. The checks, the calls, the audibles, the slides, the answers for pressure. It's been terrible all along. And it hasn't gotten better since

Brian Callahan has left, not in a significant way at least. I mean, statistically you could look at little things. But the point is the coaching has been absolutely miserable and we know the most important thing for a young quarterback is to have a coach who gets it and can give him answers to the test and give him obvious reads and give him easy scheme wins where the route concept literally beats the defensive coverage to where the quarterback is easy pitch and catch. You know how little easy pitch and catch we have seen for Cam Ward this year. He is playing on max difficulty because the coaching staff is one of the worst in the entire NFL.

That is a disadvantage schematically every single week to where the defense makes everything hard and there is nothing easy. The wide receiver talent, especially as the injuries can pound now and it's not going to get better. So are we going to do this stupid thing every single week where we talk about, oh, I think the Titans need to have an open competition.

They need to seriously bring in competition for Cam Ward this also. so he's not getting like, it's going to get worse now too because they're playing with literally practice squad-wide receivers in most spots if I-O-Manor and D-K are out and we know that Calvin Ridley is out for the rest of the season. It was already the worst wide receiver group in the NFL on a week-to-week basis. Now it's going to be even worse.

You've got Mason Kinsey getting serious snaps out there. And then to add into the coaching problems, the roster problems, the Titans have played the toughest schedule in the NFL. literally the toughest schedule in the NFL. So you're going to take all of these things going against Cam Ward and say that it's justifiable to have an open competition. We saw Will Levis absolutely fall apart and melt with this situation. We saw a veteran quarterback in Mason Rudolph

not play well and just lose a bunch of games in this situation. why are we expecting Cam Ward to have a higher level of play and quite frankly I kind of had a moment after watching the tape and we'll talk more about this on tomorrow's show and I'm doing a film breakdown for Tick-Tac Titans this week I'm going to do Cam Ward, Kevin Winston, J.C. Latham.

So we'll dive more into this kind of conversation tomorrow when we talk about the tape. But I watch that tape against the Houston Texans and I'm like, man, you know there are a couple of misthroes and there's the fun. But Cam played pretty well. Cam actually played pretty freaking well in that game. Like, and I feel like

the people who are, Cam is a bust, they need to have a quarterback competition. Oh, you're scared to have some competition because Cam will lose. Like the people trying to rage bait. Watch on Sundays for three hours, never go back and look at the tape. Just, oh, that's a miss to Mason Kinsey. Cam Ward sucks. Well, if you go back and you watch, Mason Kinsey bent that route back inside for no reason.

He turned his shoulders back inside for no reason. When the opening was to the outside, and if he just follows, he looks at Cam Ward with his shoulders inside, and if he just follows that path that's right to him and he runs in for a touchdown. Now, we'll never know the true deviation of blame on that particular play

without knowing what the coaches are saying behind the scenes and what they're coaching. them to do, but it seemed pretty clear what needed to happen. But there were going to be people out there, oh, misthrow should have been a touchdown. Cam Ward sucks, bus, quarterback competition, and just one thing. But when you go back and you look,

wow, Cam Ward threw some dots. Wow, Cam Ward was managing the pocket very well. Cam Ward was getting the ball out of his hands on time. Cam Ward was not creating problems with the rush. Cam Ward was taking was available to him from the defense. He's literally growing and doing all the things we wanted and

on top of just being a better professional quarterback on top of that and just playing the position with more calm, more understanding, more all right, dump it off to Tajay, all right, quick hit to Gunner Helm, all right, but

like he's just playing and I don't know how to explain it any more than he's playing in a more professional manner. But on top of that, we've seen the flashes. The arm talent, the playmaking, the clutch gene, which we saw again. Like driving the Titans down in circumstances, 90 plus yards, like, that was monstrous and that throw he had to

chick a conkaw on the sideline. Like, I listened to a few outside podcasts that are just national NFL podcast because I'm an NFL fan. I like football and I'm watching tape and I like to have background noise and all that. And to hear the way that people outside of the Titans ecosystem talk about what Cam Ward's done. Man, he's in a terrible situation. Man, in terrible circumstances. Have you seen some of the throws that Cam Ward has made this year? It's unbelievable. He does it every week. I think that as Titans fans who watch the games every single week and live and breathe and die

and we're on social media talking about the team all week long and like I think when we're in the trenches and the bullets are flying it's hard to step back and look at the totality but the reality here is Cam Ward has not played anywhere near as bad as even I have said at times as some people think and act from just watching the game on TV once a week He has not played anywhere near as bad as the conversation tries to act like he is. And for the conversation to be quarterback controversy or quarterback competition

coming out of this game against the number one defense in the NFL, the Houston Texans, the way that Cam played in this game for the conversation coming out of that to be quarterback controversy or a competition or they need to, like it's just insane. I think that the Tennessee Titans need to have a better backup quarterback in 2026. But to act like it needs to be this big competition, competition, and to have that conversation and start that conversation after that game yesterday against the Texans, it truly does not match up. And I think, again, once we take a step back

and evaluate the season and totality, a lot of you guys will realize that Cam Ward is doing about as good as you can ask for, considering the circumstances. And again, I think romanticizing Will Levis and forgetting the factor of the head coaching search that's coming up, I think it just makes this look even dumber than what I've already explained. Do want to let you know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. The NBA is back and there's no better place to get in on the action than Fandle, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Even if you miss the start of a game, you want to ride the hot hand.

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it's absolutely ridiculous to act like there should be a quarterback competition for Cam Ward in 2026. We talked about why the circumstances around Cam Ward are absolutely miserable and why, quite frankly, we should be excited about the flashes that he's shown us this year so far. But the nonsensical nature of this conversation continues as you go down the rabbit hole. Because the next part of this is, the Titans are going to have a new head coach next year. The Titans are going to have a brand new offensive system.

The Titans are going to have to start from the ground up on the offensive side of the ball. Now, I think that Cam Ward is ideally suited to deal with that and prosper. He did that all throughout college while he was transferring from different places. So he can get acclimated quickly to assist him, learn what he needs to learn, and be ready to go and produce. So I'm not worried about Cam Ward being able to learn it. But, but at the same time, think about how insane it is.

to bring in a new head coach with a brand new offensive system, probably new verbiage, new lingo, new checks, new audibles, new slides, new hand signals to the wide receivers, everything new. And say, instead of letting Cam Ward get absolutely max opportunity, this is the same conversation we had when it was, oh, Will Levis and Cam Ward are splitting reps and OTAs. even reps, but, but I was like, this is insane.

And this cannot continue, and it won't continue. And guess what? It didn't continue at all. Once we got into mandatory minicamp and, you know, where the team really needed to turn it on and learn about each other and get going. You cannot have a new coach with a new system, come in here, and then take away valuable reps from Cam Ward.

Cam Ward needs to be the clear and obvious starter from the jump, from the get-go, question about it as the coach is hired immediately. Yeah, I spoke with Cam Ward. Not, oh, well, you know, we might look into free agency and we still have Will Levis on this roster and we're going to have an open competition for every, no. Cam Ward needs to be treated like the starter. He needs to be installed as the starter. He needs to get the reps of a full blown starter. We cannot play this game where we do even reps and open competition and like they can't do that. You are wasting value time for Cam Ward to learn this offense because remember, the Titans are going to need to play better and win more games next year.

All right, they cannot have the same performance that they had this year next year after they hire a new head coach. And the reality is, is Cam Ward was your number one overall pick. You unretired Warren Moon's jersey. Let's not play this game like there's a quarterback controversy. You are in bed with Cam Ward for three years. seasons at minimum. Three seasons at minimum before you should move on from Cam Ward. If through three seasons, it is clear he is not the guy, then sure, then sure. Make a move. Do something serious. Get a veteran, draft another guy, whatever. But you don't do that now,

especially after what we've just seen, that's insane. Cam, Here's what the hope is. The hope is that you hire a good coach. That coach has a good system. Cam Ward plays in that system and while Cam Ward is playing in that system, you build up the rest of the roster. You use two more draft classes to build the rest of this team. You supplement through free agency

and you finally build a good roster with a strong head coach. And then if Cam Ward is not delivering after two years in that system, his second season in the NFL is third season in the NFL. If Cam Ward cannot deliver with a better roster, with a better roster and a better environment and a better coaching staff that is when you make serious decisions to bring in competition

and like with Marcus in his fourth year with Tanna Hill it was over then that's when it's over or 50 whatever that's when it's over but you don't do that now it's three years minimum man

three years minimum Like, we can't do this We can't do this This is the kind of thing And everybody, it's funny that there's overlap here Are the same people who are like Oh, you're scared of a little competition Are the same people

Who are mad at the Titans for not providing stability And who are mad at the Titans for Fire and Vrable And who are mad at the Titans for do And it's like, you can't be mad at the team For not being stable And then when they attempt to be stable, be mad that they're choosing stability. You can't have it both ways.

So I just think it's insane to act like what's best for this team is to not give Cam Ward max reps and max opportunity in a brand new system with a brand new head coach. It's illogical. It's illogical. And again, I think that a lot of this crybaby in

and a lot of this conversation about Cam Ward, the quarterback, competition, it's coming out of, hey, I'm bored of complaining with the coaches. I'm bored about complaining about the O-line. I'm bored about complaining about the secondary. I'm bored about complaining about the wide receivers. So now we've got to find something else to drum up into a whatever. You know?

And I said, it sucks because I'm going to have to talk about this. This is the number one discussion right now happening. It's sad that that's the case. But like somebody, you guys are being so ridiculous, you're forcing me to be Mr. Rational this season. I'm hot take Tyler, baby. I like the blow torches. That's what I do.

That's my game. But you are forcing me because everyone's being so ridiculous you're forcing me to being the voice of rationality here. I don't know how I feel about it. I'm a little uncomfortable being Mr. Rational. But like, what are we talking about? Cam needs stability.

He needs better coaching. He needs to learn a brand, new system and adjust to that, you don't help that situation by making an open competition with who, with what? And this goes to my next point. The romanticizing of Will Levis. I just can't take it. I just can't take it anymore. Why do we have, just because Cam Ward is not setting the world on fire, why do we have to pretend that Will Levis all the sudden wasn't as bad as he was the turnovers in Chicago, the pick six on the sideline, the fumble against the jets, the performance against the bangles, the pick against the dolphins.

What are we doing? Will Levis suffered from the same issues that plagues Cam Ward this year. Inconsistent offensive line, bad offensive coaching, bad weaponry. I'm not saying that Will Levis doesn't deserve some grace because he dealt with the same things, but I don't have to sit here and act like Cam Ward's playing worse than Will Levis. I watch the tape. I watch the games.

And I also don't have to sit here and act like that because Cam Ward has had his struggles this year, that Will Levis should get a free, true, brand new opportunity to be the Titan starter. He needs to be traded. As soon as he's healthy, He needs to be traded. He knows that.

The Titans know that. The injury gave him a one-year break to figure it out. But stop. Again, to me, the romanticizing of Will Levis is born solely out of anger and frustration with the Titans losing games this year. Because it is illogical.

It is illogical. they're not going to give reps to Will Levis with a brand new coaching staff like I'm sorry I just don't that doesn't match up and it doesn't make sense and I think again it's just the grass is greener all of you guys were going nuts about Will Levis last year

and now because Cam Ward and the Titans are bad again and Cam Ward's having his rookie struggles Will Levis in year or two being absolutely terrible and just as bad if not worse is now better than what we're seeing just because it's not what's happening right now. Like, I can't take it. I cannot take it.

But regardless, it's time to be optimistic. Because there are some obvious and clear examples when you look at recent quarterbacks who were taking number one overall in the draft, there are some clear examples of why everybody just needs to chill out. Today's show is brought to you by friends over there at Peloton. Look, folks, it's time to break through the busiest time of the year with a brand new Peloton cross-training.

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Let's cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We talked about why any quarterback competition or whatever is insane. Cam Ward has played better than people realized, and Will Levis played worse than people remember. But with that being said, I do want to give you guys some hope. We need to talk about some clear and obvious examples around the NFL that should give Titans fans some optimism and some hope. Before we do, thanks again for making Locked on Titans. Your at first listen each and every day. And thanks again for making Locked on Podcast Network.

The number one sports podcast network. But just look around the NFL. Look at some of the recent number one quarterbacks. Kyler Murray. 5 and 10 and 1. then Joe Burrow injured 4 11 and 1

then Trevor Lawrence Jacksonville 3 and 14 then Bryce Young 5 and 12 or 2 and 15 his rookie year 5 and 12 last year in year 2 Chicago Bears Caleb Williams last year 5 and 12

do you see any winning records there do you see good football the Bears some people and remember before last season there were people saying that Caleb Williams had the best supporting cast and the best circumstances

in the NFL for any number one overall pick ever. He had DJ Moore. They drafted Romo Dunzee in the top 10 to go with him. They had Keenan Allen, one of the all-time greats of the last 10 years.

All on the Bears' offense. Think about that. wide receiver group. Roma Dunzei, DJ Moore, and Keenan Allen versus Calvin Ridley, Van Jefferson, and Tyler Lockett. You know what I mean? And that was the best supporting cast a number one overall rookie quarterback has had in recent memory. I mean, like, none of these young rookie quarterbacks did well in their first year, none of their teams did well. And now, take a look. Jacksonville in year two. Not even a great head coach, but go to the playoffs,

win a playoff game. The Panthers. Tough year two for Bryce Young, 5 and 12, but they're on their way up. Now they're 6 and 5 in the NFC playoff race. I would love. Imagine if the Titans were 6 and 5 and in the playoff race, second in the division,

in year 3 of Cam Ward. that would be wonderful, right? Wouldn't it be nice? Imagine that. Cincinnati, I know they're having their struggles now because Burroughs' injuries have continued to pop up. But shoot, the next year, they went to the Super Bowl. Turn it around. And listen, I'm not expecting Cam Ward to be Joe Burrow.

But why can't the Titans do what the Panthers did? Look at the Bears right now. The Bears are 7 and 3. Turn it around. And why? Look at all these situations. the coach. I mean,

Trevor Lawrence right now, Jags, they got rid of Urban Meyer, then went to Doug Peterson. That made things a lot better. And Doug Peterson wasn't able to get the Jags to where they needed to be, but he was certainly a better coach

than Brian Callahan, he's a better coach than Urban Meyer. Brian Callahan is an Urban Meyer. Brian Callahan is a Frank Reich. Brian Callahan is a Matt Eberfluse. You know what I mean? Think about all those names I just said. Gone.

And then you replace them with a Ben Johnson, a Dave Canales. Now a Liam Cohen. Things turn around. So, we don't even have to do the, oh, look at Peyton Manning, look at Josh Allen, look at and all the big name. Just look at some of the smaller examples.

There are so many examples. of number one overall rookie quarterback struggling in year one, firing a bad coach who can't support the rookie quarterback properly, hire in a coach who can do that, and then the team growing and getting better. We don't have to ask for historic outlier examples. These are just regular examples in the NFL. And for the Titans to be in the position the Bears are right now

or the Panthers are in right now or the Jags are in right now, that would be a major win that would be a major win so I'm just saying it's not as insane as it seems to think that the Titans could be much more competitive and grow over the next few years

it's happening all over the NFL even when your young rookie quarterback doesn't necessarily play great in its first season it happens it's more likely that things play out

the way that they're playing out right now than otherwise. It's more likely. So with that being said, that is going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.