Former UK quarterback Will Levis talked with ESPN’s Laura Rutledge after leading Tennessee to a comeback win over Miami Monday.
Will Levis wasn’t throwing passes to Wan’Dale Robinson but it was still like old times watching the two former Kentucky football stars doing what they did on Monday Night Football.
Robinson, the former Western Hills High School standout, was one of the stars in New York’s 24-22 upset of Green Bay. he caught six passes for 79 yards for the Giants and ran twice for 36 more yards. He made a 32-yard reception on a second-and-1 from the New York 46 with 49 seconds remaining that set up the game-winning field goal for the Giants (5-8).
But as good as Robinson was, Levis was even more exciting while leading Tennessee to a 28-27 comeback win over Miami, one of the best teams in the AFC. The Titans trailed 27-13 with four minutes, 34 seconds to play and still found a way to win.
“Will Levis was the best player on the field tonight,” ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said after the game.
Levis threw a pick-6 in the first half and his pitchout to Derrick Henry led to a fumble late that put Miami on top 27-13. But he also led the Titans to a field goal after he got the ball at his own 21 with just 28 seconds left tin the first half with completions of 22 and 45 yards.
What he did to finish the game was even better. He directed a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive that ended with his 3-yard scoring pass and then he completed the two-point conversion pass to cut the lead to 27-21.
Tennessee got the ball back with only 2:15 left and Levis got a 36-yard completion and then a 16-yard reception before Henry scored from the three to enable the Titans to win.
Levis finished the game 23 of 38 passing for 327 yards — the first rookie to have a 300-yard passing game on Monday Night Football (previous record was 291 by Justin Fields of Chicago in 2021). Levis also joined George Bland, Babe Parilli and Tim Couch as the only UK quarterbacks with a 300-yard passing game in the NFL. Levis also became the first former UK quarterback to start a Monday Night Football game.
ESPN’s Laura Rutledge interviewed Levis on the field after the win. He seemed a bit stunned by the win and was not nearly as emotional as he was on the sideline after the Titans took the lead.
“I think you saw the type of team I think we can be,” Levis told Rutledge. “We have got special guys, a special locker room, so we were able to go out and grind it out.”
Levis said he had to put the shaky moments in Monday’s game behind him.
“The last four minutes, that’s what it is all about, baby. I am so happy for my guys,” Levis said on ESPN.
Rutledge gave him an opening to take a shot at those who doubted his ability to play in the NFL and are still criticizing him. He didn’t take it.
“I am just trying to be a better version of what I was yesterday,” Levis told Rutledge. “All that stuff (about not being that good) is cool and I definitely used it a little bit.”
He ended his interview by thanking Tennessee coaches and players for “believing in me and taking me.”
Later he was on ESPN’s SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt and again made sure to credit his teammates more than himself.
It was obviously Levis’ breakout moment nationally as well as a huge night for Robinson. It was the kind of games they had back in 2021 when UK went 10-3 and hopefully the kind of games they both will have a lot more of in the NFL.
2 Responses
Levis is going to make the teams that passed him up pay. I also saw a story that he was at a Tennessee mall last night handing out gift certificates to under privileged kids.
Levis is a good guy and played great the last quarter, but Miami choked pure and simple. It was nice to get a win, but it hurt their draft position. With 4 games left, they should be playing young guys to see who is ready to step up next season.