Malik Willis Is Ready to Make the Most of This Opportunity
When a quarterback is selected within the first few rounds of the draft, people expect that player to succeed. However, expectations can be a tricky thing in the NFL; for every player who rises to meet them, there are many more who falter in the bright lights that it brings.
When Malik Willis was selected in the 3rd round of the 2022 NFL draft as the third quarterback off the board, there was an expectation that he would develop and eventually take over the starting job for Ryan Tannehill. Willis was called upon sooner than many expected, and it was clear he wasn’t quite ready.
Willis went 1-2 as a starter in 2022, posting a stat line of 276 passing yards, 0 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. He didn’t look anything like the quarterback that was projected to be a top pick in the draft, and Tennessee quickly moved on and sent him to Green Bay.
In a recent interview with Cam Wolfe, Willis was very open about the fact that he wasn’t ready for the opportunity when it came to him with the Titans.
“I didn’t do great when I first got there, I wasn’t ready.” He said. “You just continue to learn and build when the cameras aren’t on, when you’re not in the front light, and you get another opportunity, you’re only as good as your last time you get on the field.”
Willis certainly made the most of his opportunities in Green Bay. In the three games he started for the Packers, Willis went 2-1 with 972 yards, 6 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. That resurgence led to the Dolphins signing him to a 3-year $67.5 million deal this past offseason.
Now he has the opportunity to prove that he belongs as a starter in the league, something he addressed during his interview with Wolfe.
“Opportunity means, exactly what it says, opportunity to prove something, opportunity to continue to get better, opportunity to do whatever you can do to put yourself in position to take advantage of the situation that we’re in.” He said. “We keep hearing the people of this city want to win really badly, they want guys to play Miami football like it was back in the day, all we can do is work hard and give them what they want.”
That is the kind of quote that gets you fired up as a Dolphins fan. Willis clearly gets the situation he is walking into in Miami.
The two-plus-decade-long playoff drought, the misery of mediocrity. Now Willis and his teammates have the opportunity to change all of that, and personally I am very much looking forward to watching them make it happen.
You can follow me on YouTube @WickedGoodEverything and X @TheFakeBMarr
Malik Willis Is Ready to Make the Most of This Opportunity
Malik Willis Is Ready to Make the Most of This Opportunity
When a quarterback is selected within the first few rounds of the draft, people expect that player to succeed. However, expectations can be a tricky thing in the NFL; for every player who rises to meet them, there are many more who falter in the bright lights that it brings.
When Malik Willis was selected in the 3rd round of the 2022 NFL draft as the third quarterback off the board, there was an expectation that he would develop and eventually take over the starting job for Ryan Tannehill. Willis was called upon sooner than many expected, and it was clear he wasn’t quite ready.
Willis went 1-2 as a starter in 2022, posting a stat line of 276 passing yards, 0 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. He didn’t look anything like the quarterback that was projected to be a top pick in the draft, and Tennessee quickly moved on and sent him to Green Bay.
In a recent interview with Cam Wolfe, Willis was very open about the fact that he wasn’t ready for the opportunity when it came to him with the Titans.
“I didn’t do great when I first got there, I wasn’t ready.” He said. “You just continue to learn and build when the cameras aren’t on, when you’re not in the front light, and you get another opportunity, you’re only as good as your last time you get on the field.”
Willis certainly made the most of his opportunities in Green Bay. In the three games he started for the Packers, Willis went 2-1 with 972 yards, 6 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. That resurgence led to the Dolphins signing him to a 3-year $67.5 million deal this past offseason.
Now he has the opportunity to prove that he belongs as a starter in the league, something he addressed during his interview with Wolfe.
“Opportunity means, exactly what it says, opportunity to prove something, opportunity to continue to get better, opportunity to do whatever you can do to put yourself in position to take advantage of the situation that we’re in.” He said. “We keep hearing the people of this city want to win really badly, they want guys to play Miami football like it was back in the day, all we can do is work hard and give them what they want.”
That is the kind of quote that gets you fired up as a Dolphins fan. Willis clearly gets the situation he is walking into in Miami.
The two-plus-decade-long playoff drought, the misery of mediocrity. Now Willis and his teammates have the opportunity to change all of that, and personally I am very much looking forward to watching them make it happen.
You can follow me on YouTube @WickedGoodEverything and X @TheFakeBMarr
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