Read the full transcript from QB Malik Willis' media availability on September 30, 2026.
What were your immediate thoughts when you did find out that you would no longer have De'Von Achane for this season?
Malik Willis: Yeah, it was very unfortunate. I mean he's a heck of a dude to even come back to the sideline and stand there throughout the game after something like that. I mean that's more tough than I could say a lot of dudes would do, and it just shows how much he cares for the guys that he's playing with in this team. Just praying for him and hope he gets back soon enough, but you know what comes with that.
Did his immediate reaction kind of throw you off because for those of us watching from the press box, we were thinking maybe it's not that bad because he seems so upbeat?
Malik Willis: Yeah, I agree. I thought it was something small or minor as well. I thought he like bumped knees with somebody or something and kind of got like a little stinger in the thigh, anything. But I didn't think it was that, especially after walking off. But like I said, just wishing for my dawg to get better and that's it really.
What do you think of the capabilities of Ollie Gordon II and Jaylen Wright as now they'll have to step up?
Malik Willis: I think they've been making plays all offseason and just continuing to get better each day. And I think that we have the coaches that will do what we need to do to put them in the best position to be successful.
I know that you said you wanted to take a look at the film first, but what worked well for you from a rushing standpoint on Sunday?
Malik Willis: I think just the scheme. How we tried to call the game, but I mean, more than anything, it's just going out there and playing ball. You try not to overthink that type of stuff.
Along those same lines, how comfortable would you be shouldering more of the rushing load? I mean, obviously you led the team in rushing on Sunday.
Malik Willis: I mean, that's more of a question for Coach, I can't lie. I'm not – I just try to do what they tell me to do. Do my job.
What are some things that the Vikings defense tries to do pre-snap to confuse opposing quarterbacks?
Malik Willis: I mean, watching the tape, they do a lot. I mean, they have a great defense, obviously. They're undefeated for a reason, and they've been doing a great job. And we'll just continue to search and try to come up with a plan to go out there and execute.
How much does facing a defense on Sunday, against Spagnuolo that has so much pressure packages in his defense, how much does that help you facing another defense that loves to set extra rushes at you?
Malik Willis: I'm not sure if you even compare them. You try to flush each week as it comes, unless they're similar type defenses. And I don't think these two are. I think they both do a great job at what they do. And I think we just got to continue to watch the tape and just execute the plan that we have.
How do you continue to keep morale up? I know it's still early in the season, but obviously you guys are 0-3, searching for that first win. Lose your star running back. How do you guys keep that going to just keep pushing through, knowing it's still a long season ahead?
Malik Willis: I mean, we're not the only 0-3 team, and there's not a team that's been undefeated in a long time. Obviously, throughout the whole year, it's just that's how the game goes, and with the media perception, perception is reality. We don't have a win right now, but that's not our reality. We go to work and we watch the tape. And as long as we're continuing to get better, that will lead to going out and getting a dub. So we just got to continue to work. I think that's what it is, keeping the main thing the main thing. And that's going 1-and-0 each week. We can't worry about the last week and the week before that. We just got to continue to get better.
I don't think you've played against them either the last two years. How much does it help just being in that Green Bay Packers quarterbacks room preparing for this Vikings defense, what would have been four times over the past two seasons?
Malik Willis: I mean, it was cool to see, especially just how much that defensive has changed over the years. I think he does a great job switching it up, giving you stuff that looks like something that you've seen and then doing something else out of it. I think he's a great coordinator and he shows it at how he get after these quarterbacks. And I think we just got to listen to our coaches and prepare this week with the scheme they have for us and do what we can.
The fumble on Sunday. Jeff mentioned that could possibly be because you're not taking a lot of contact in practice. What do you guys do to go over and rep ball security in practice?
Malik Willis: Yeah, that was unfortunate as well. That's on me. And like you said, I don't get hit at practice and there probably is constituting to it, but at the same time, I got to take ownership in that. And when we do ball security, take it as serious as I possibly can, because that is one of the points that changed in our game. I mean, there's three or four plays each week that constitutes to a win or a loss. And that was one of them.
There were some deep shots that just seemed a little bit out of range for you guys in the game on Sunday. How do you go about cleaning up that and trying to find that margin to make those long incompletions turn into big plays?
Malik Willis: Just more than anything, getting on the same page with those guys and making sure that they see what I'm seeing and just continuing to work at it. That's it.
You rank fifth in rushing among quarterbacks. What does that say about your play so far?
Malik Willis: I don't know. It's only been like three games. That's cool, I guess. I mean, I'm not surprised. I'm just neutral when it comes to that. That's cool, I guess. We got to get it to help us win some games. That's what matters.
What did you like about Chris Bell's game on Sunday?
Malik Willis: I think he's playing way more confident in what he was doing. He had fun out there. I seen a couple of smiles, like I said, and he was enjoying himself, and that's what it comes down to. This is a game where you have to be joyful. We have to be grateful for this opportunity we have. We're playing a children's game. We're getting paid a stupid amount of money and it's just like, do it with everything that you have. Prepare with everything that you have because this is only for a short period in your life and you just got to be grateful for it.
I've never even been to a game in Minnesota, but you've at least been on the sidelines for it, experienced the atmosphere. What can you say about what that is like for an opponent?
Malik Willis: Oh, it's really cool. I can't lie. It's really cool. That environment is awesome. The fans really love it. I think that whole division, they love their team because that's close to the only thing that's around, but they really love it and they get juiced up. You hear that big old drum and those claps and the "SKOL." It's awesome. It's a great environment.
I'm throwing it way back here, but how transformative were those first two offseasons of your career when you were still in Tennessee, working in Jacksonville in the offseason?
Malik Willis: I think it was cool. It helped me just focus on the things that maybe the coaches aren't as focused on. They're more focused on scheme and timing within the system that they run where I could go focus on my fundamentals and the stuff that helps you throughout the play.
When you think of the fan base – it was the home opener of the season. Is there anything that you'd want to tell them? Because the people we got to talk to, they're continuing to support no matter what, like the good and bad. What would you tell the fan base now as you guys continue to grind this season?
Malik Willis: Oh, just appreciate the Fins fans. We're doing everything that we can to continue to get better so we can have y'all being more excited at the games than y'all have been. That's it.
