Read the full transcript from WR Malik Washington's media availability on October 12, 2026.

So the bye week is a natural time for review. What is your assessment of the season so far and what is your assessment of the passing game specifically?

Malik Washington: I think it's kind of collection of what we've been saying the last few weeks, like we're getting better. I think we're seeing improvement through the games, but there's still some mistakes that we're making that we're shooting ourselves in the foot. No matter who it is, everybody's got to take a moment to just reflect on their game, what they're doing and how they could do their one-eleventh to help this team, which I think we'll do over the bye week.

What can you guys as receivers do better to help improve the passing game?

Malik Washington: I think for us, we just got to continue to be on the same page with the quarterback. We got to continue to be on the same page with the offensive coordinator and our receivers coach and just learning as we go, figuring out where we need to be and making the play when it comes to us.

What should we label as your position now? Because we see you not only just lining up by a receiver, but in the backfield – second play from scrimmage on offense you're running down the right side. How have you embraced that?

Malik Washington: I mean, I'm just trying to be a football player and trying to help in any way I can, doing whatever they're asking me. I'm not going to turn down anything they're asking me. So I'm just trying to be prepared and ready for whatever they want.

You and Malik's connection has really shined over the last couple of weeks. Just what do you think has led to that?

Malik Washington: I mean we're working it in practice. We're trying to communicate. I'm trying to be in his ear. I want him to always come to me whenever he has something to say or whenever he wants something corrected or fixed or he wants even to just say like, "hey, we did good there." I think a lot of just the practice, the reps have helped us, but I think there's a long way to go. We got to connect on some of those shots and a lot of it's on me. I got to be better for him. I think we'll get that fixed.

You mentioned the shot just what happened on that play. I think it was in the first quarter, that deep ball?

Malik Washington: Early on, I mean, I want to take blame for that. Like I was just supposed to come up the numbers a little bit more. Drifted a little bit outside, tried to overcorrect it, and we just couldn't hit on that one. It's early in the game. You got to flush those. We'll get another opportunity to get the ball and make a play later on in the game.

Brewer said that game wasn't just like a regular home game with the heat and humidity there was another level to it. What did you experience?

Malik Washington: I could tell the warmups when my shirt was drenched and I was coming in, so I knew it was going to be a hot one. That's one you just got to continue to hydrate, continue to, stay on your assignment, focus and do your job.

What are y'all doing well this season? I've said and written that you guys are physical, you don't give up, the run game is going well, the rookie draft class is doing well. What are two or three things that you see that this team is doing really well?

Malik Washington: I think for starters and there's something that Hafley always preaches, we're trying to play together and we are playing together. A lot of guys, we're in each other's circle, we're in each other's ears, just trying to embrace our role, whatever we're asked to do, we're playing together. And I think another thing is we want to be tough and we want to play tough. So that's for receivers in the run game. You see Chris Bell out there knocking guys over. All the receivers in the run game are really showing up and trying to get involved. Our running backs are running really hard. Our o-line is pushing the pile. We're just doing a lot of good things in that way as far as physicality and just playing together.

What is something that you didn't necessarily know about Ollie that you've learned since his elevated reps in the lineup?

Malik Washington: I don't know. I mean, he's been showing that since Day 1. Whether it's his big personality or him running hard, making plays and stuff like that. We've kind of seen that since Day 1. Now he's just getting a chance to, a little bit more emphasized. But man, that guy plays hard. His personality is loud and his play is starting to catch up with it too.

Were you around when he had his passionate moment on the sideline? Were you around for that or were you? What was being said? Was it trying to encourage you guys? That's what it looked like.

Malik Washington: I couldn't hear what he was saying. I just know – I mean, he's a passionate player. He's a guy that wants to get it right. He wants things to go well for all of us. So I would just say he's that's out of passion and just high emotion. He wants things to be right.

Any plans for the bye week?

Malik Washington: Rest and recover. Probably go bowling.