Read the full transcript from QB Malik Willis' media availability on July 28, 2026.
How did these throwing sessions in Jacksonville come about with you and your receivers?
Malik Willis: I just opened it up for everybody, and if they had a chance to make it – obviously I don't want to take people away from their family and their time off, but if you have some time and you could get up there, I opened it up for everybody. It was pretty cool.
How valuable is that just working that over time beyond the OTAs and before training camp, just continuing to build that chemistry?
Malik Willis: I think all reps are good reps. Obviously, when you can work through things and figure guys out, I think it's the best of both worlds, really.
What kind of turnout did you see in in Jacksonville working out with your teammates?
Malik Willis: We had six or seven guys. It was pretty cool, definitely just to see them get out there and work and they did everything that I did, so it was pretty cool to see. Even some of the workout stuff, we get in the weight room after we get off the field, so I'm just glad that they had a little time to spend and we can steal a couple reps before we get into training camp.
What did you feel you took away from those workouts individually?
Malik Willis: I try to take away little things that you probably don't notice just looking around, like who gets out their breaks faster, who I can throw to a little earlier than later, who likes it right on them, or do they like it above their head? Just all those type of things that can help you be successful as far as like minimizing risk.
A lot of people on the outside say you don't have the weapons necessary to succeed here. After working with these guys, what's your take on that?
Malik Willis: We all play football at a high level or we wouldn't be in the NFL. Every team has good players, it's just putting them in position to be successful. All the guys that have big names at one point didn't have a big name, and I think that's how it goes. You just got to prove it and that's where we're at right now.
How does it feel to be, I guess, the guy now in your first training camp taking on this big leadership role? I know you said before that doesn't really change much for you, but now you're here. So I'm just wondering if that perspective has changed?
Malik Willis: No, I'm just trying to do whatever I can to earn that role every day. Put the work in, put the time in and earn the respect from my teammates – I think that's what's most vital and most important, more than a paycheck or more than a position that other people say you're in. I just try to focus on that and continue to get better.
It sounds like you did a lot of work on the field, in the weight room, in the offseason, but how can you train your brain when there's no practices in terms of the mental, like getting the playbook, getting the film? What did you do to enhance that part of your game this summer?
Malik Willis: I mean, just more than anything, it's mental reps and focusing on, okay, if I was in this position like I'm throwing with the guys up there, I'm like, okay, this position and they like bring cloud or something, I could try to stop them with the ball and make a different type of throw. Just understanding that when you're working, you're working for a reason and not just out there throwing the ball around. Obviously, that would be a little pointless. It's never as easy as it is out there.
We talked to players all the time about perception, about their team before the season, during the season, whatever, and they sometimes they say they don't watch TV or listen to social media or whatever. Are you the kind of player that allows that perception to filter in and are you motivated by that?
Malik Willis: Not really. I mean, I'm more than anything focused on what I have to say about me. That's what's most important. Just as it is with you guys, you don't care what other people say about you. When you have that issue, you have more problems than not. But I just try to focus on continuing to get better. I wouldn't be in this position if the hard work and dedication that we put into this sport, none of us would, but I just try to focus on that and continuing to get better, because you could be one spot now and six months later you could be in another spot. So just try to focus on that.
Every quarterback defines greatness differently. What does being a great quarterback mean to you?
Malik Willis: Just impacting the guys around you, doing all the things that take no talent at a high level every time you get the opportunity to and winning. I feel like that's the greatest stat you can have as a quarterback, just going out there and win games.
Where do you feel you are as far as the new playbook?
Malik Willis: I think it's pretty cool. It was very similar. Obviously, we had worked through a couple kinks and figuring out just the terminology sort of thing, and that was easy to get through. It just takes reps and continuous saying it and being in the huddle and actually going through it, and that's whatever you do. Obviously, I had three or four offenses before this one, and it's the same process. I think it was cool to have OTAs to work on that and figure out the differences between offenses like, okay, this is the same route, but they teach it differently here, and the receivers know it from a different terminology standpoint, so that's the biggest thing. I think I'm at a good place and we get to go out at camp and get more reps at.
The start of training camp, what does that mean to you? A lot of fans would say it's like the first day of school or like it's Christmas, but what does that mean to you? And is it different now that you come in as a starting quarterback?
Malik Willis: I think it's exciting. I mean, I miss football. I get bored, obviously. You're just talking about throwing on air and that's not fun at all, but it's a method to the madness. It is like the first day of school. It's the first time we get back and see all our buddies, all our coworkers, I guess, it's a business. But all the guys are excited to go, and we've just got to continue that up throughout camp, through the preseason and taking it into the season, just building confidence and momentum.
High school football practice started yesterday in Florida. Do you have a favorite memory of high school football or some advice you could give?
Malik Willis: I mean, every game in high school football was pretty fun, that's the best memory, but probably getting to the state championship. The game before the state championship my senior year, we played the school I had left the year before and we ended up beating them 28-0, put a whooping on them. (laughter) That was an odd game feelings-wise, obviously, I had been there three years prior. But that's probably my best memory because it was cool seeing all my boys out there and getting to play against them. It's just like if we got to play Miami Dolphins offense versus defense in a real game. So that's probably my best memory, a lot of touchdowns.
Why did you transfer?
Malik Willis: Our coach had left and I didn't have a bunch of offers, so I had to go somewhere that kind of had it together. It was going into spring ball, and we still didn't have a head coach and that's not great.
When it comes to leadership, are you more of a vocal leader or do you just try to lead by example?
Malik Willis: I feel like you can be both. I feel like there's moments sometimes that you need to be both. You have to understand people. Obviously, some people can handle being talked to a certain type of way and others can't, so you got to talk to them a certain type of way. And then sometimes nothing needs to be said because they already know what they messed up on and belittling them or just reiterating it might not be beneficial to help us succeed. I feel like it's just a time and place type thing.
A lot of one-year deals on this roster. Sometimes that could result in guys being like me, me, me. But as a leader, how do you get the rest of the team to kind of buy into this overall goal, the overall mission amidst people literally playing for their NFL futures?
Malik Willis: I feel like Haf and Sully did a great job putting this team together. They put it together with guys that have that same mindset that you're talking about, that we have one goal. The obvious goal is to go out there and win games, and to do that, it's going to take all 11 each play. Nobody can go out there and win it by themselves. It's not like basketball where you can have somebody drop 60, you know what I mean? Obviously you can have players that impact the game in a positive way, but at the same time, if I don't do the right thing and everybody else does the right thing, it could be a bad play for the offense. If a receiver doesn't do the right thing, it can make a bad play for the offense and everybody else does. So it's all working together and continuing to, like I said, go out there and build confidence in that so you can trust the guy that's next to you.
And on the other side of that, what does it say that this regime did extend Achane, Brooks, Brewer, what do you take from that?
Malik Willis: I think it's awesome for those guys. It's great to have them secure in here. And I think that lit a fire in the locker room, obviously, as far as it not being a rebuild, as they say, and more or less, you putting people in position to lead your franchise to a newer place, maybe build from where we're at instead of a rebuild and I think that's awesome.
What have you learned about yourself, about the challenge of joining the team within that challenge?
Malik Willis: I don't know. I'm pretty introspective, if you would have guessed or not, but I don't know. I just try to keep it one day at a time, take it for what it is, be grateful for where I'm at and try to earn everything else.
What would you consider a successful season for this team, and how much does season record figure into that success? How much of it is a determining factor?
Malik Willis: I mean, obviously you want to put yourself in a position to not have expectations, but you obviously want to do everything you can to put the work in and take it one game at a time. That's the only way you can play this game. You take it and go 1-0 each week. Obviously you do enough of that and you'll be a division leader at some point, and you do more of that, and you'll be in the playoffs at some point and taking that one game at a time. And once you get to the playoffs, it's anybody can win. As we see every year, guys go and have a better record and end up losing to a team with a worse record. All it is about taking it one game at a time and doing what we can right now, which is where we're at, and focus on building confidence and continuing to build momentum.
Have you adapted to living in Miami? Was something that you love from living here and are you completely adapted to living here?
Malik Willis: Yeah, I'm integrated right now. I got my little spots. They know me when I come in there. So I think it's been great. Obviously the weather is always amazing if you like it hot. I mean, I like it. I'm from Georgia. I like it hot. So it's been amazing. All the food is great and the people love Dolphin football. So all those things I can get behind.
Do you get recognized a lot down here?
Malik Willis: It depends if I go out. I don't be outside like that.
No, I'm just talking about like, regular. If you go to Publix.
Malik Willis: No, that's what I'm saying. I don't go out. I be Instacarting and DoorDashing. Yeah, so I don't be outside like that. I just be coming to work.
Did you get some leisure time in? Some books and movies. Some time to refresh?
Malik Willis: Yeah, I did. I spent three weeks at home and spent a little time with them and got all my leisure and played a lot of golf. And the last three weeks been just working.
How's the swing looking?
Malik Willis: Swing looking all right. I ain't going to tell you no score. (laughter) They going to blow that out of proportion.
