Read the full transcript from QB Malik Willis' postgame media availability on September 23, 2026.

What do you think it will feel like to play at home? Because you haven't even had a preseason drive this year yet. So what do you think it would be like to be the Dolphins quarterback at Hard Rock Stadium?

Malik Willis: I'm excited. I think it would be cool, just like the preseason was cool. I mean, being on the sideline and just having the Fins fans in the building. It was cool and I just expect that to be doubled or tripled. A lot more people want to come to regular (season) games than they do preseason.

Can it be kind of a reset, a fresh start? After the first couple of games, go out there, see the home crowd and get invigorated a little bit.

Malik Willis: Yeah, I think it's cool. You get around your fans and not a couple away games across the country. I mean, we had a lot of fans there too. It's really cool seeing them there. I think it'll be cool to have a game back home and just check everybody out.

Do you think the offense found a recipe for success in that first half.

Malik Willis: I think that we were executing better than we had been in the first game. And I think we need to continue to do that in the second half and that game looks a lot different. But obviously we just got to keep working. We got a lot of young guys in there, a lot of guys doing stuff that they haven't done before or hadn't been asked to do before, that they are and they just gotta – we all gotta lock in and continue to grow.

Once you get in the red zone, obviously you want to end up with touchdowns. As you look back, what kind of solutions could you possibly come up with to get into the end zone once you get down there?

Malik Willis: Probably keep playing games, that'll help. I mean, we're two games in, it's not the end of the world. Obviously, it sucks. And we want to score touchdowns, but at the same time, we just got to continue to drive and get the ball and get points. And that's how you do it. And our defense will continue to do what they're doing. They'll keep getting better as well. They got a lot of young guys over there. And we'll just continue to play complementary football.

Obviously, you all have to quickly turn the page. I was just curious to see, what are some of the things you rely on that help you move forward?

Malik Willis: I mean, I lean on God. First and foremost, I lean on God, just trusting in the plan he got for my life. He got me to this point, you know? And I know who I am. It's not really anything anybody could say that's going to deter that. But just that and my teammates and my family, I mean, we're all in this together. This is not an overnight thing. We're obviously trying to continue to get better. We've got a lot of young guys, as I keep saying, we got to figure it out. And we have 15 more games to do that. It's not the end of the world. We just got to continue to work hard and keep going.

After you reviewed the Week 2 film, how did you feel you did relative to seeing the field and your progressions?

Malik Willis: It's not comparative. I think it's always a continuous cycle. I think it was cool to sustain a couple more drives than we did the first week and seeing guys go out and execute, doing things they might have messed up in the first week. I think that's what this is about. It's about continuing to gain confidence and grow and keep getting better as a unit.

When you're going opposite a guy like Patrick Mahomes, you're not the field at the same time, but do you feel there's more an onus to produce points knowing that he likely will be lighting it up a bit?

Malik Willis: Not really. I mean, they're a good offense, they're a good team, but I mean, no game is the same. I mean, what the Bears, they come out and score 59 and then the next week – you know what I mean? The game is not played that way as well as – it might be perceived that way from outside looking in, but you just got to go out and execute every time you get an opportunity to. And it's not really us versus him or our offense versus their offense. It's more or less us going out and executing when we get the opportunity to. Our defense going out and executing when they get the opportunity to. That's what it's about.

Sometimes we've seen you use some different arm slots. Is that at all inspired by what he does or you just kind of like work that in sometimes on your own?

Malik Willis: I mean, just play ball, for real. Obviously, he does it at a high level and he has for a long time so I think it's pretty cool. I have watched him before, but I wouldn't say it's inspired by him. But he's definitely, he's the man for sure. I respect the game.

How much grace do you afford yourself? Because you're in this position where you've got to be a leader, kind of a rock for a very young offense, but at the same time, you're young yourself, like you're still under 10 career starts in the NFL. So how much grace do you give yourself being in this competition?

Malik Willis: Not much really. I mean, I got to keep getting better just like everybody else on our offense. I hold myself to the same standard I will hold them and I think that's fair. And even if not more, probably. Sometimes he be saying I'll be tripping because I'll be a little too hard on myself. But at the same time, if you don't hold yourself to a standard, how will you continue to get better? And I just want, everybody in that locker room to feel that way. And that's when we'll continue to get something going and continue to build towards success.

We saw a toe on the injury report after we spoke after we spoke with you in California last Wednesday. Is it causing any pain?

Malik Willis: I don't know, I played didn't I? I think I'm alright, I appreciate it though, looking out.

Is getting involved in more designed runs, read option type stuff, something you would like to do in this offense?

Malik Willis: I would like to go out and try to execute the offense best as I can. I think that's first and foremost. Whatever play is called in, try to execute that to the best of my ability.

Did you have to have any conversation with some of the young guys? I know Kadyn Proctor mentioned he's never been 0-2 before in his football playing career. Just what sort of conversation, if any, did you have to have with the locker room just to remind them like, "look guys, we're good, it's just two games"?

Malik Willis: I think it's continuous communication with guys and I wouldn't put anybody on the spot, but just continuing to keep them positive and keep them understanding that we have 15 more games and that's a lot of games in this league. It's a lot different than a lot of guys who are just coming from college where they played at most 12 and then if you go to playoffs a couple more. But just continuing to stay positive and focusing on what's important and that's what we see on the film and what we have when we go out there on Sundays.

We know that Chris Jones can rush from multiple positions. In general, does inside pressure create more of a challenge than outside pressure?

Malik Willis: I mean, that's a very unique question. I'm not sure – pressure is pressure. I mean, it's unfortunate when you have it, but you play really good defensive players that get paid a lot of money to do what they do. I think we just got to continue to get better and stay solid.

They used to say the only way to affect Brady was with pressure in the middle. I guess every quarterback has a unique feeling about inside pressure.

Malik Willis: Really? You just taught me something. Thank you.

You've talked before about how playing from the pocket and getting out is kind of a feel thing, right? Where you just kind of feel it and go. How do you use the film to evaluate the way you're making decisions, whether it's time to step up in the pocket or to get out?

Malik Willis: When watching the film, honestly, it's concept based. Where are the routes? Where can we, if we do have to extend, where can we try to make a play? I think twice I should have probably thrown it away because there was nothing there. But at the same time, it's continuing to just try to keep the drive going and make plays. But knowing when it's not the right time is always an issue.

Do you feel your comfort level with that aspect of the game increasing the more starts you get in your career?

Malik Willis: Yeah, I think it's been awesome, even from the first week to the second week. Just being out there and continuing to go throughout the game, the ups and downs of it. And obviously we came out on the wrong side of it, but I think those reps are just as valuable as if we were going out there and winning, if not more. Just putting guys in positions they haven't been in and seeing how some of the guys respond, I think that's where you get the character of your team. And if you can, learn from those mistakes and build towards something, you don't need to be hot at the beginning, need to be hot at the end when it matters. And at the same time, we won't look too far but we got to continue to just grow.

You mentioned earlier you're very hard on yourself when you were asked about giving yourself grace. I'm curious, what kind of coaching you respond best to? Like some guys, they know they've made a mistake, they don't necessarily need to hear it from the coach. I'm just curious what that what that relationship and those conversations are like based on what coaching you like to receive.

Malik Willis: It's really just communication. That's everything. Give me your perspective. I'll ask Bobby, I'll ask Bush, I'll ask KP. Just continuing to get their perspective. Obviously, I have my perspective, but they may see it a different way and they've seen a lot more than I have having coached in the league for a long time, right? But obviously, a lot of times we see it the same way. But I don't have a problem with him communicating or over-communicating what the issue is.