NFC head coach reveals which of Malik Willis' traits surprised him
· Yahoo Sports
Earlier this offseason, the Miami Dolphins, under the new leadership of general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley, decided to move on from Tua Tagovailoa and to bring in Malik Willis to take his spot as the team's starting quarterback.
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Willis, 26, originally entered the NFL as a third-round pick (No. 86 overall) out of Liberty in the 2022 NFL draft. He spent his first two years with the Tennessee Titans before the Green Bay Packers traded for his services in 2024.
Over the last two years, Willis has worked closely with Packers head coach Matt LaFleur while serving as a backup and filling in for Jordan Love for a few games.
Earlier this week, LaFleur shared his thoughts on his former quarterback, who is set to have his first opportunity to be a team's starting quarterback to start a season.
"It's just hard to find a guy that athletic at that position," LaFleur said (transcribed by the Palm Beach Post). "And we all saw what he could do with his legs. But I think Malik did a great job coming in. He was receptive to the coaching. And I think he showed a lot of growth in the passing game, just like I was just talking about, and refining the mechanics. But I think, obviously, a really talented thrower. I mean, shoot, he even surprised me sometimes with his accuracy, especially down the field."
After struggling with Tennessee (53% completion percentage, 350 yards and three interceptions), Willis looked better in Green Bay over the last two years (78.7% completion percentage, 972 yards and six touchdowns).
That coaching from LaFleur could set him up to realize his potential with the Dolphins. However, while the coach believes in the quarterback's chances of succeeding as a starter, he knows that Miami needs to help him out by finding better weapons.
“I’d say very high,” LaFleur said. “But I think, too many times, you get into situations where it can’t be all on the quarterback. You got to surround these guys with pieces. Nobody can do it by themselves... I’m not saying they have or have not, but I just think that has to be under consideration when you’re talking about the evaluation of a quarterback."
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This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: NFC head coach reveals which of Malik Willis' traits surprised him