Read the full transcript from QB Malik Willis' postgame media availability on September 16, 2026.
What do you think of this weather?
Malik Willis: It's very nice. It's very cool, it's like walking outside into air conditioning. (laughter)
When you watch the film of Sunday's game back, what are a couple things that you picked up after the fact that maybe you didn't notice in the moment?
Malik Willis: I mean situational awareness as far as just making critical mistakes and whatever situation we is, whether it was me taking a sack or somebody else and me in there or whatever, it doesn't matter, we're all one team. But at the same time we got to understand that's how people get beat and I think taking care of the ball, obviously. He (Hafley) says it in every meeting, that's always going to be important. It's not to make us shy or anything, but just to understand the situations of when we want to push it down the field. I think just executing at every position, executing at every position, every play that we can. Obviously, if you lose, you lose, but making sure we're doing the right things, going to the right people, giving ourselves a chance. And that's it, really.
Did you feel like there were moments in the game, especially late when trying to push offense down the field that I guess you were too maybe locked on to a big play or like did you feel yourself wanting to push it down the field instead of hitting a check down?
Malik Willis: I mean more than anything just on the interception but other than that not really. It just so happened they had a big lead on us and they could play really soft. It was just unfortunate and we were trying to fight our way back in and like you said, that doesn't change how we need to execute regardless.
When you talk about avoiding those sacks, what's the key in that? Is it going through the progression, finding the checkdown when it's there, using your legs? What would you say are some of the keys?
Malik Willis: That's a mixed bag. It's all easily fixable stuff. And like you said, you say that after the fact, after you watch the film, after you understand what it was, it's very fixable.
I was telling De'Von that you're only one yard behind Lamar Jackson in rushing yards for the season. He was saying, "I told Malik to run more." Do you think you could realistically hang with Lamar in the rushing title?
Malik Willis: I mean, I'm not really looking to compete in a facet for stats. I'm more trying to win games. I mean, 50% of the league lost a game last week and maybe they're a little harder on us because who we are and they don't think we're going to do anything anyway. So just try to take along that challenge and more work towards that goal versus a stat. Because stats, I mean, sometimes they do something, but not really much ever because there's games that are one with less yards, total yards than it is with the other team – I digress. I'm not worried about that.
As you've been effective going to Caleb Douglas so quickly here, has anything surprised you with just how quickly he's gotten to this point?
Malik Willis: I mean, he's had a long road. He's been with us since OTAs. Obviously, unlike Chris not being able to be out there, he's got all the reps and he's confident in what he's doing and we're just continuing to build and grow. Obviously, he's still a rookie and he has things to learn – as well as I do in this new offense – and we're just going to continue on that same path upward.
On the run game, what are some of the keys to get that going, especially against this Niners defense?
Malik Willis: Just making sure that every position is doing the right thing and making sure that we're getting the good plays and when we're not in a good play, just doing what we can to get the bare minimum. It's just continuing to work on the things that we need to work on and what we see on film.
What have you told yourself about the best way to process balancing holding rookies to the same standard as everyone else, but also realizing that there is a bit of a curve?
Malik Willis: I think the game last week kind of balanced it for them and I didn't have to do anything. Obviously, it was their first real live game and they were put in situations they hadn't been put in and stressors they probably hadn't had. At the same time, I remember when I was a rookie, I had the same mistakes and same mess ups. So, I try not to be too hard on them, but at the same time, you do want to hold them accountable because they're out there playing ball and whoever's out there playing ball, you want them to do their one-eleventh and that goes to me as with myself as well.
We understand there's been a lot of team bonding going on this trip at the hotel. What have been some of your experiences?
Malik Willis: Yeah, the boys have been kicking it. We've been chilling. We've been having a ball.
How important is the rushing game to the success of the play action passing game?
Malik Willis: The running game is important to everything. You start there, the defenses try to stop the run. That's where football starts. Play pass comes off of it and drop back comes up situationally and when you want to offset that and I think that we got to do a better job executing what we're being asked to do. I think Bobby (Slowik) has a great scheme and he does it the right way. He teaches us the right way. We just got to execute.
How'd you think Kadyn Proctor did in his regular season debut?
Malik Willis: I think he played with great edge and we just got to continue to clean stuff up. He's willing and he wants to learn and he wants to keep getting better so I'm super excited for him in this next opportunity we get this week.
You know how they always say that quarterbacks have to have like a clock in their head? So you might not even necessarily know how close the defender is, but you know the clock is almost about to ring. Do you feel like your clock is a little longer than other folks? And I don't mean that in a bad way I mean do you always feel like you have extra time?
Malik Willis: No, I feel like that's made up. There's no such thing as a clock, there's just what it is. I mean, sometimes they win fast, sometimes they win slow, it's just understanding the feel of when are they going to get there more than a clock telling you, "okay, I need to throw it now." Cause that's bad ball if you're working off of that. You got to see what's going on out in the coverage and how that plays out. Maybe somebody got rerouted. It's a lot of different stuff. I wouldn't say I have a longer clock or not. I try to trust my guys to get open and our o-line to do a great job as they have been.
Let's say pressure's coming from the backside. Do you hear footsteps coming in behind you? Does Pat or somebody, you know?
Malik Willis: No, it's just feel. You can't hear nothing happening, you're just playing ball. It's just a feel thing. Maybe it's the bad intent that they want to have on us and they want to come hit us and you just feel that. (laughter) But no, there's nothing you can really hear.
