Early in a game that’d get a lot crazier, Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis was already upset. He was upset, evidently, with receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

A third-down pass for Hopkins had misfired, and Levis had something to get off his chest. So he did. Pointedly. Levis was animated as he followed Hopkins to the sideline. Wouldn’t call it an argument or even an exchange. It was one-sided. Hopkins let Levis talk.

A rookie in his sixth NFL start was letting a living legend hear it.

When was the last time you saw that?

“Just a little miscommunication,” Levis would explain later. “I thought he was doing one thing, and he ended up doing the other. … We hold each other to a high standard. I allow him to express his feelings towards me, and I feel like, vice versa.”

In this grim slog of a 2023 season that has fallen short of expectations, only one thing about these Titans (4-8) keeps offering optimism for the future. But it’s an important thing:

Will Levis looks like an NFL quarterback.

He plays like one, limiting mistakes and making plays. He sounds like one. More than that, he’s carrying himself like one. It’s been six weeks now. Not a huge sample size, but it’s enough to validate Levis in ways that can’t be faked among his teammates.

The relatively heated conversation with Hopkins, for instance, could have gone differently. Turns out that it was one of the more encouraging parts of Sunday's wild 31-28 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

And here's why:

“I love that from a quarterback,” Hopkins said, “a young quarterback who's trying to win. … I love his passion. I love the way he plays the game.

“I wouldn't tell him to be or do anything different. Be himself.”

For proof of how much teammates already respect Levis, go read Hopkins’ response again. He wasn’t mad at Levis, then or now. Soon after, Hopkins caught a pass and tapped Levis on the helmet when he returned to the huddle. It was all good.

That's respect.

Respect like that in this league is earned. In Levis’ case, it’s earned because “he competes his (tail) off,” as Titans coach Mike Vrabel said.

“I love his competitiveness. I just love the dog in him,” tight end Chig Okonkwo added.

Respect is earned by following your shot on a throw that got away for a fumble, sprinting to hit the defensive player, forcing a fumble and then recovering it so your side retains possession.

Respect is earned by going airborne and helicoptering for a first down on a third-down scramble in the early stages of a divisional game, as Levis did.

"Whenever you see that, it's like 'Dang, let me lay it all out on the line for this guy, because he's doing the same thing for us,'" running back Tyjae Spears said.

Respect is earned by withstanding a prolonged offensive drought and leading the unit to a game-tying touchdown in crunch time that should have been a go-ahead touchdown if punter Ryan Stonehouse, kicker Nick Folk’s usual holder, hadn’t been knocked out of the game. Levis was 4-of-5 for 54 passing yards on that march, including a TD pass to Hopkins.

Respect is also earned by coming into a press conference after a tough loss and saying things like, “Personally, I feel like it’s the worst I’ve played as a Titan. Watching the film is going to make me sick.”

Levis said that. He put it on his shoulders. Wasn’t the first time, either.

"He's not coming in here and flinching," Okonkwo said. "That's the type of guy you want to see in that quarterback position. That's the guy you want to lead your franchise."

Before facing the Colts (7-5), Levis spoke to the Titans as a team to get them hyped. It was Levis’ first time doing that, Okonkwo said. Surely, it won’t be the last.

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Levis might already be one of this team’s biggest leaders, despite his admitting after the game that “I'm still trying to find my way as a leader” in the NFL.

“Whatever (my role) is,” Levis said, “I've got to make sure it's natural and I'm able to get through to these guys and get the outcomes that we're looking for.”

If there are any deal-breaking flaws to Levis, the Titans haven't seen them yet in six starts.

Levis is completing 57.8% of his throws and has only two interceptions with seven TDs. He hasn’t been perfect, of course, but combined with everything else, he’s been more than good enough to suggest the Titans have found their quarterback of the future.

That's an enormous box to check. As bad as the situation seems right now for the Titans, a lot of opportunity and salary-cap flexibility comes when an NFL team has a starting quarterback on his rookie contract.

Levis figures to give the Titans a huge advantage for the next two or three seasons. He can get better, too. Certainly, the team around him will improve.

That’s encouraging, even when little else about this Titans season has been.

Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) @Gentry_Estes.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Titans' Will Levis looks like a legit NFL quarterback