Will Levis seals surprise NFL return after being cut by the Titans in wake of sex tape, injuries and QB struggles

The New York Jets are signing quarterback Will Levis to their practice squad following his tumultuous exit from the Tennessee Titans in summer. 

Levis, 27, was released by the Titans in August, ending a turbulent spell in Nashville after he slid out of the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft and was picked 33rd overall.

The former Kentucky quarterback became Titans starter halfway through his rookie season, then became starter in 2024, but missed the entire 2025 season after shoulder surgery as the franchise moved on by drafting Cam Ward No.1 overall.

He has faced mockery online for some of his on-field play and lack of ball security, as well as facing turbulence in his personal life after splitting from ex-girlfriend Gia Duddy in his rookie year, after the pair had an intimate tape leaked by hackers.

Levis entered this year's training camp battling with Mitch Trubisky for the backup job but did not make the 53-man roster in Tennessee.

However, he has now been handed a route back into the NFL following the Jets' decision on Tuesday afternoon, according to The Ringer's Tom Pelissero.

In an adjacent roster move, the Jets have released quarterback Bailey Zappe. 

It is expected that Levis will take Zappe's role as the third-choice quarterback, behind Geno Smith and Cade Klubnik.

At the start of the month, it was revealed that Levis was brought to the New York Jets facility for a workout with a view to being signed to their practice squad.

Speaking at the time, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn shed light on their quarterback situation after Klubnik, a fourth-round draft pick from Clemson this offseason, beat out Zappe and Brady Cook for the backup job. 

'He's our backup quarterback. He's our backup quarterback, and he'll do a good job,' Glenn stated.

'There's just a confidence in how he operates and what he's done in practice, what he's done in the games. I don't think anybody ever said there weren't going to be hiccups. I mean, he's a rookie, but he's always learning, but he's a very intelligent guy. 

'Listen, we're proud that we have him and he's improved over the course of training camp and he's going to continue to improve. 

'That room throughout training camp was a room that we kept a close eye on just to see how those guys operated and man, Cade has done a really good job for us.'

The Jets intended to try and bring Cook back to the practice squad but he was picked up by the Miami Dolphins on waivers, with Glenn confirming he was looking at new options alongside general manager Darren Mougey.

Levis first hit the headlines at the 2023 NFL Draft when he slipped down the boards after being tipped as a No 1 overall pick, eventually being selected by the Titans at 33.

Missing the first round also meant missing out on a lucrative fifth-year option, leaving him staring down free agency far sooner than a top prospect normally would. 

On the field, things didn't get much easier. Levis threw 16 interceptions across 21 starts in 2023 and 2024 and became a fixture of NFL blooper reels for a string of baffling turnovers. 

Off the field, his personal life had been unravelling too. Levis had been with college sweetheart Gia Duddy, who went viral alongside him on that miserable draft night in 2023, since their Penn State days.

However, they split quietly that September, just weeks after Duddy had moved to Nashville to be with him. Neither ever addressed it publicly.

Then came the leak. In May 2024, an intimate video involving Levis and his then-girlfriend spread across social media. It stayed largely under wraps as a topic Levis himself never discussed.