Malik Willis needed only one preseason series to remind people why he keeps sticking around.
In his Miami Dolphins debut on Friday, Aug. 14 against the Washington Commanders, the former Green Bay Packers quarterback looked calm, mobile and sharp enough to turn a single drive into a quick statement. He got the Dolphins rolling on a 14-play, 93-yard touchdown march, showing the same kind of steady play that made him such a useful backup in Green Bay.
Willis finished the night 4 of 5 for 52 yards, with a quarterback rating of 102.5 and two carries. He worked the pocket well, escaped when the rush closed in and also uncorked a deep ball during the drive.
That kind of showing should feel familiar to Packers fans. In Week 17 last season, Willis made his final start for Green Bay while filling in for the injured Jordan Love and opened that game with a touchdown drive against the Baltimore Ravens. That performance came in a nationally televised game under the lights, the sort of stage that tends to put a quarterback on the radar.
Willis spent the previous two seasons as Love’s backup and, more often than not, answered the bell when Green Bay called on him during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Those outings helped make him one of the top free agents this offseason.
Miami responded by signing Willis to a three-year, $67.5 million contract to become the team’s quarterback after the franchise moved on from former first-round pick Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins are now in rebuild mode in 2026, with Willis under center and former Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley in his first season as head coach.
That setup will bring Willis and Hafley back to Lambeau Field later in the year. The Dolphins are scheduled to face the Packers in Week 15 on Sunday, Dec. 20.
One of the cleaner moments from Willis’ preseason debut came on a 28-yard connection with Caleb Douglas on third down. Miami was then awarded defensive pass interference, but declined the penalty and kept the drive moving.
Seven plays later, the Dolphins finished the march with a De’Von Achane 1-yard touchdown.
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