Read the full transcript from QB Malik Willis's media availability on October 7, 2026.
We're almost at the quarter part of the season, four games in of a 17-game season. How would you assess how you've done so far? I mean, to me it looks like you've kept the offense in advantageous situations, you're a fast learner, haven't made the same mistakes twice. What do you think you've done well? What are your pluses and minuses?
Malik Willis: I mean, speaking of holding myself to the level of accountability I try to, it's not good enough. We don't have any wins yet, obviously. We can't keep blaming stuff on us being young and still everybody being new, like that's not a factor once the season starts. Yeah, that's cool to say in the offseason when we're building and growing, but I think we've done a great job continuing to grow each week. I think we look like a way better team than we did when we went out against the Raiders. I think that we went a little bit backwards last week during the Vikings game. I think we have to continue to improve and stay on that path upwards. Yes, it's okay to make mistakes, but we have to fix those mistakes and be able to continue to grow in these situations that we find ourselves in.
Similarly, how do you think you've done as far as the quick processing and the high-speed decision making that comes with playing quarterback situationally?
Malik Willis: I think it's been better. I had moments earlier in the season where I should have thrown it away and it maybe cost us points or a position to go for points at a better scenario in the 49ers game and I think I threw it away the next week versus the Chiefs. I don't think there was any opportunities really situationally last week, we just got to be better on third down so we can stay on the field and get into those situations. We just got to find a way to get points, and the best way to do that is to not shoot ourselves in the foot with penalties and MAs and all these different things. We just got to continue to, I know it sounds like I keep saying the same thing, but we got to continue to focus on these details and execute, that's what it comes down to. Whatever side executes the best, that's who is successful, especially when we talk about scoring points.
Between Bell's 44-yard catch and run against the Chiefs, the called back touchdown on Sunday, it seems like you two are kind of getting a bit of a rhythm. Just how have you seen your two's chemistry improve?
Malik Willis: I think he's just been doing a great job becoming more confident in what he's doing, and I think it's every day just getting these reps that he didn't have a chance to get during camp, that he didn't have a chance to get during OTAs. It's just the reality of these things. He's a young player and he's doing a great job attacking it mentally and physically. It takes a second to get accustomed to what we have to do, play-in and play-out, and you're going against the best in the world. They get paid too. They're good at their job. We just got to continue to grow him and keep him confident even when a mistake is made. Just continuing to be on his side and let him know that, regardless of how you go down, like just learn from it. When you get the opportunity again, you never do it again. Like I said, keeping him confident.
With Caleb being down, obviously it's not an ideal situation for any offense, but how much has that helped you develop more chemistry with the other wide receivers on the team?
Malik Willis: I think it's been cool just to see how Caleb's attacking his recovery process and just as fast as he can, he's trying to get back. But how he's staying positive even on the sideline and at practice, just continuing pick guys up. I think that shows the kind of environment we want to build around here where we have each other's back, and that's offense, defense, special teams. It doesn't matter, and I think he's been doing a great job with that. I feel like we all kind of build a relationship, whether he's in there or not, and I think that everybody that gets a chance to go, whether it's at practice or in the game, I think we've been doing a good job building chemistry there.
The Bengals, I think, have one of the highest sack rates in the NFL. When you see them on tape, how are they able to get consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks?
Malik Willis: They're just a relentless front. They work hard. They have some moves. I try not to get too detailed into that when I'm talking on here, but they do a great job. They added Dexter Lawrence, a big time guy. We played him last year in Green Bay. We just got to… I trust our guys and we just got to continue to work hard to attack the plan that we have and do what we can to execute it when the time comes.
What's been your message to the team just amid this 0-4 star as one of the leaders?
Malik Willis: Just go 1-0 each week. I mean, there's 13 games left. It's easy to say that when everything's said and done, but you try not to get to that point. You try to learn from the mistakes that are made that may be the reason why we're 0-4, and at some point you run into those mistakes and maybe you make a couple mistakes, but they don't cost you the game. Maybe you make a couple mistakes, but they don't cost you a drive and ability to get points. And that's it, just eliminating those mistakes that hurt us to the point where we're not winning games.
You spoke about chemistry, a couple of relationships I want to ask you about going back to the Chris Bell one. You found him on that scramble, the touchdown that was called back where he stepped out. Tell me about that because Chris said, I saw my quarterback was scrambling. I went in scramble mode. There's a certain chemistry there, right, where you know what he's at. Tell me about that and how that's developing between you and Chris?
Malik Willis: I think he did a great job. I mean, that's one of those things that I talked about that you just have to develop as we go through this thing. It's guys that maybe not have been around a quarterback that can move like that or haven't been in a position where they have scramble drill rules and they have scramble drill ideas and how they want to go and attack, and just not thinking "the play is over. Oh, he's about to run it." Because I'm looking throw it if I can, for sure, because that's how the big plays happen sometimes. They cover everything and they can't cover forever. At the same time, it just makes him think about more stuff, and it's good that Chris is bought in and continuing to stay playing through the play because sometimes it's a lot. They get tired, they run 100 routes or whatever, it's not 100, but they run a lot of routes and I know they get tired. Just to see him fighting through and the rest of the guys as well.
And then your relationship with Malik Washington, he's got, I think, 17 receptions for 200 and something yards. And the next closest Dulcich, has 9 receptions and I think Caleb Douglas has 113 yards, so that's a big gap. I know Caleb has missed two games, but your relationship with Malik Washington seems pretty strong. That goes back to training camp, tell me about that relationship?
Malik Willis: He's been around the longest. He has the best grasp of the offense as far as guys who actually been able to get out there and do it. He's been here, what, three years, and I think he's done a great job progressing. I mean, that's the point that Caleb and Chris and Kevin and all the other guys are trying to get to within this system. It's just finding a way to be comfortable in what you're doing and you can go out there and be confident and you can just play fast. That's what it's about, going out there and playing fast, having no doubt.
On you guys' last offensive play last game, you throw it to Chris Bell, Harrison Smith is there. There's been some video on social media saying that Kevin Coleman was wide open on the other side of the field. Did you see that live? Did you see it reviewing film? Are you confident you made the right decision?
Malik Willis: Yeah, I mean, these are high-speed decisions. I threw the ball and he ran over there. That's how they play Cover Zero, it's vision based. But yeah, it looked good after the play. I'm never going to take back anything I do out there, I have no regrets. We did a lot of research in how we wanted to attack them if they gave us a look, and they gave us a look. It might not have worked out how we wanted to. They played softer than they did on film, and that's unfortunate. I won't say, I'm going to go back and be like, "oh no, somebody said he was open, so I should say–" no. We have plays called a certain type of way and I'm trying to execute them the best I can as we are taught. He was below the sticks, I mean, we're trying to continue to drive. It's hard to say, I would go for it on third-and-5, backed up on your 20-yard line; when you want to just lean on your defense, you punt it away. Obviously, we didn't get the stop, but you got to think about further down the road. People are just really instant gratification, so they think that way and they're results-based, but we try to be process-based.
Do you go on social media? Do you see that stuff or stuff that's said about other quarterbacks? Do you pay attention to it, does it bother you?
Malik Willis: Oh, no, I don't be on there, for real. I just don't know about it, I guess. It is what it is. It's just too much tomfoolery and you can't never win. They just want to make you feel some type of way. And I don't feel no type of way anyways, but it is. I mean, I try to put in as hard work as I can, go out there and have fun and whatever comes with it, comes with it. That's all you can do.
