He was a highly-touted NFL quarterback prospect, yet much of the conversation around Will Levis entering last year’s NFL Draft focused on the Connecticut native’s playful choice to add mayo to his coffee—there was even a weird report of being “deathly” fearful of milk. Despite the eccentric cream replacement and reports of dairy aversion, the Tennessee Titans selected him at 33rd overall. (He also lined up a partnership with Hellmannn's in the process, where he is now the “face” of a mayo-scented cologne.)

Levis entered the season third on the depth chart but got his opportunity during the second half of the season. He threw for four touchdowns in his first game but also experienced the struggles that are common for rookies. Now, he's starting his second season as a starter—his is first outing was rocky, but he tells GQ he's committed to the mental and physical grind that comes with being an NFL QB1.

Ahead of the season kickoff, GQ caught up with Levis set the record straight about his mayo habits. He also discussed the changes he’s made to help feel his best throughout the season—and why you won't be seeing him in sweatpants.

GQ: I’m certain last season seems like a blur. How was it to get some time to decompress during the offseason?

Will Levis: It was amazing. I think that the NFL schedule allows for a little more time for just decompression and relaxation. With how much of a mental and physical grind the season is, there is that time to reconnect with the other things in your life that matter—family, friends, and relaxation. I was out on the beach. Growing up by the water, every time I can get back and see the water and get on a beach, that makes me realize how special it was to be as close as I was when I was growing up. I was out in Cabo for a little with some teammates and back home in Connecticut spending time with the fam. Me and my family also did a trip to Italy for a week—something we've been wanting to do for a long time and that was really special,

What was it like to go viral from the one time you put mayo into your coffee to receiving a partnership with Hellman’s?

It’s been amazing. I think once this became a possibility, I was all in on it. Their team has done a great job of steering me in the right direction and making sure that everything that we do from a campaign standpoint is light, fun, and enjoyable for others. That's how this all started in the first place—with a light, funny joke that turned into a lifetime supply contract last year that I was thrilled to extend, and that I had no hesitation in continuing. It's been an absolute pleasure to work with everyone at Hellmann’s, and I look forward to continuing to advocate for the numbe-one mayonnaise brand in the US.

Last year, you went from third-string to finishing the second half of the season to become the starter. What was that process like?

Mentally, it was hard for me in that first half of the season to stay 100 percent locked in. I was the third string, and I had to have that reality check a few weeks after of if I were to play tomorrow, would I be ready? I didn't really know if I was, so I was able to kind of ramp up my mindset and prepare and study more for those few weeks in the lead up to the opportunity to  actually play. I'm glad I had that shift in focus, and it made me ready for when my number was called.

From the physical side, obviously taking care of your body is important. I had some bumps and bruises from last season that I had to grind through and that's never fun. It's something that every player goes through every season. There’s never going to be someone who's 100 percent healthy all the way through. It’s how you prehab, how you handle the little things that you might be able to just brush off and not think of—but it's important to dial in on them, listen to your body, and lean into the things that help you. Everyone has their own process or stuff they recover with. I have my things, and I think this year, I'm looking forward to feeling healthy and showing what I can do in other aspects of my game that I wasn't necessarily able to show when I was a little beat up.

In terms of the nutritional aspect, what was the biggest adjustment you had to make?

I think it's developing a schedule and having a sense of consistency with what you're eating. I've never been someone to track calories. I'm very weight-focused and make sure that the body weight and body fat percentages are where we want to be and where I feel like I’m at my best when I’m on the field. I feel really good about where I'm at now. I've shaved off about five pounds since last year. I think it makes me feel a little more mobile and healthy, but also making sure that I'm getting what I need. Our staff does a great job of getting all the nutrition that we could ever need here, but then there's also turning to other services.

I work with a chef outside of the facility that provides me with dinners throughout the week so that I can have a smaller one before I leave the building, and then an actual dinner when I get home. Having a chef that I worked with throughout the offseason was new and something that I wanted to invest in. I know that throughout my career, there are things that I'm going to continue to get better with. I’m actually up for vitamin deficiency and food sensitivity tests here pretty soon, just to kind of lock in on what could be causing some inflammation and certain things that I can dial back on. In terms of vitamins, I have some things that I take on a daily basis, but I understand there are other things that I could focus on that could make me feel even better.

I want to make sure I'm treating my body the right way. Also during the half of the season I played, I dealt with a lot of things with my body that wasn't fun. If there are just a couple of things that I can tweak with my diet and how I handle my body that could limit the eventual pain that I know I'm going to be going through at some point, then that’s 100 percent worth it in my mind.

How has the process been to go from no expectations last year to all of this external pressure and criticism going into your second year—how do you manage that?

It’s tough. I just don't listen to it. I have a small circle of people that I actually trust, listen to, and value their opinions on things. I know that everything else that is said about me is moot—being careful on social media and not diving too deep into certain things. It’s a lot of pressure and I see it as a privilege. It’s been awesome to have this responsibility put on me. I think coming into training camp, I just wanted to be perfect with everything that I did, but after a few days, it's understanding and talking with my coaches about this is the time to make mistakes, to try things, and not to make that same mistake twice.

I think I've done a great job of just honing back in on that and trying to make the right play and not the play all the time. I just want to see that in my tape more than anything this year and not get bored with making the right play, which sometimes is throwing it away or taking the checkdown and not getting to push down the field—knowing that as long as we keep doing our thing the right way, those shots will show up eventually. I just got to let them come to me.

What does a typical day of eating look like for you?

I'll get in early, have a shake and lift. I’ve got a morning routine of steam room, and cold tub. After my lift, I'll have an actual breakfast. I love eggs, so I'm getting eggs in whatever way I can. A small omelet, or just some eggs with some sort of protein on the side, some carbs, and a fruit bowl. I've been hammering pineapple and strawberries like it's my job lately, but they always have great spreads for us and it’s never the same things. I'm very particular about how I make my bowls. I think I took the inspiration from Chipotle where I put my carbs on the bottom and then put in my proteins, veggies, and then whatever else.

I'll have a smaller dinner here and they always crush it. Whether it’s steak, salmon, or a chicken dish with a little bit of veggies. Once I’m back home, I'll have another dish similar to that with my chef. It's been cool to track how my body has responded throughout training camp because it's the first time I've exerted it to this level in a long time. That changes the amount of intake my body requires. Seeing my weight slip a few pounds after the first few days, knowing that I needed to have a little bit more intake and increase the amount of food I was putting in my body. I don't really snack too much in between and I'm also drinking a whole lot of water.

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On my off days, I can have those cheat meals and little indulgences like my mayonnaise. It’s nice that at least at this point in my career, I'm not going too crazy with my diet so that I can also enjoy the food that I always have because food is one of the greatest pleasures in life.

What would some of those other indulgences be?

I am a greasy burger fiend. If I have an off day and can find an excuse to have a smash burger somewhere and just destroy it and forget that it even happened after 90 seconds of finishing the whole meal, that’s always a good one for me. I have some fond memories of going through the drive-through with my mom when I was growing up. That’s never going to get old for me.

Have you found any good spots in Nashville yet?

There are some really good spots in Nashville. I think the food scene is very underrated. I’ll give a shout-out to Noko in East. It’s a Japanese fusion spot that's newer and I've gone there a lot. My favorite burger in Nashville is from Redheaded Stranger. They also do a Tex-Mex breakfast burrito but they also have a really good Tex-Mex-inspired smash burger. It's a little spicy but I absolutely love it. Patterson House has a really good burger. It's like a speakeasy bar and they have a smaller menu. You can get a smash burger on a potato roll with some chips, and have a cocktail and it's awesome.

Can you take me through your game day routine?

Most of our games are at noon, and I’m getting up around eight and eating very light. Most of the time, I had a breakfast burrito, some fruit, and maybe a little protein shake. I’ll get over the stadium a couple of hours before kickoff and get out on the field, I don't have any superstitions that I'm doing pregame, other than a warm-up routine that I always do. I like looking good and putting on a little outfit. Last year when I wasn't playing, it was a good excuse for me to just throw on some sweatpants and whatever. But, it's fun to dress up, and it's crazy seeing guys spend the amount of money they do on just one outfit that they'll wear to one game.

You're a starter now. You got those fits off!

I feel like I'm never going to be like that, but it's a cool time to pull out some parts of the closet that people might not get to see. It’s going to be interesting to see how I do it this year. I think for away games, I'll do suits, and then I'll get more casual for home games—just on a little upscale streetwear vibe.

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