AFC South Notes: Anthony Richardson, Will Levis, Colts, Titans

Colts

Colts QB Anthony Richardson‘s private trainer, Will Hewlett, called the quarterback one of the best athletes in the world. 

“I personally think he’s the best athlete in the world,” Hewlett said, via James Boyd of The Athletic. “I don’t think there’s an athlete anywhere that can do as many things as that guy can do elite. Maybe that’s a crazy statement, but the guy is so unique in so many ways.”

Richardson said he’s always been described as a “freak athlete” but points out that being successful in the NFL requires much more than being physically gifted. 

“It really started in high school,” Richardson said. “I know I’m physically gifted. Everybody knows that. But playing football, especially as a quarterback, is way deeper than just being physical and being fast.”

Colts WR Adonai Mitchell thinks the team is in “pretty good shape” with Richardson leading their offense. 

“Every time I sit there and think, I’m like, ‘Dawg, this dude is four months older than me,’” said Mitchell. “The youngest (starting) quarterback in the NFL right now and making the plays he’s making in only Game 1. It’s like man, ‘We’re in pretty good shape here.’”

Titans

Titans S Jamal Adams plans on making his debut with the team in Week 2 against the Jets, his former team.

“I’ll be there,” Adams said, via Nick Suss of MSN.com. “Oh, I’ll be there. Oh yeah, I’ll be there. I’ll be there.”

Adams missed Week 1 against the Bears due to a hip injury. He feels the issue was a byproduct of the injuries he sustained over the previous two years. 

“As a football player, you definitely need those things to get ready for the season because it’s a long season,” Adams said. “Games are long. 60 minutes. I feel like my body kind of went in shock a little bit. It just wasn’t ready. Well, I’m not going to say it wasn’t ready. But it was just more so like it wasn’t used to the cutting and the conditioning as much and a constant pace of football … I was feeling good. And it just so happened that it didn’t work out for me. My body just kind of locked up on me for whatever reason. I had to listen to it. I know my body now. As (expletive) as it is, obviously I want to be out there with my team, but it didn’t work out like that for me.”

Titans

Titans QB Will Levis isn’t dwelling on their Week 1 loss to the Bears and still has confidence after his poor performance. 

“There have been times where a game like that would have lingered for days, weeks, and really just kept getting to me,” Levis said, via Jim Wyatt of the team’s site. “But I didn’t lose sleep Sunday night. I know that I’m a good quarterback in this league, and obviously there’s a lot of things to get better on. But watching that tape, I still have that confidence and knowing it’s a fluke play that I can definitely learn from. I still have all the confidence in the world in this team and everything. Just have to come to work the same way regardless of what happens.”

Titans HC Brian Callahan said Levis was never rattled after their opening game and its important to stay mentally strong after games like that. 

“I’d say so far, Will has handled it great,” Callahan said. “Even after the game he was in a really, really good place, understood the mistakes, understood what he had to correct and was ready to kind of move forward. I think you got to be mentally tough in this league to play football. And then even tougher to be a quarterback in the league, because it’s always going to be on you whether you’re deserving of it or not. It’s always on you whether you win or lose. That’s a pretty heavy crown to bear sometimes. But Will’s about as tough as they come, and he’s more than up to the challenge to be able to handle that type of thing. And that part to me was really encouraging, when he came in on Monday and was open, honest, critical of his performance and ready to get ready for the next game.”

Levis has been impressed by how his teammates have attacked this week of practice. 

“It’s easy to groan and get down and complain after a tough game like (Sunday),” Levis said. “But I’ve been really impressed with how the guys have come into the building the last couple of days, flushed it, instilling confidence in me, letting me know that they still have my back, which is great to feel as a quarterback, especially with the tough ending to that game. I am just happy we all have that right mindset and we are all coming in working in a professional manner, getting ready to get a win Sunday.”