MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Malik Willis no longer has to wait his turn.
He wasn't the starter when he began college at Auburn. Didn't initially have the role when he transferred to Liberty. Wasn't the starter when entering the NFL as Tennessee's third-round pick, then wasn't the starter when he got traded to Green Bay.
With Miami, all that seems like it's about to change.
The Dolphins signed and introduced their new presumptive starting quarterback on Thursday, three days after striking the deal to land Willis — a move that followed the decision to part ways with Tua Tagovailoa and accept an NFL-record $99 million dead cap hit over the next two years.
“You just be where your feet are," Willis said, as new Miami coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan — who both worked with him in Green Bay — sat to his left at the Dolphins' practice facility. "Woke up this morning blessed to be here. Blessed to be talking to you guys and be given the opportunity by these guys. That’s all it is right now, and that’s all there is today. Worry about tomorrow when we get there.”
Willis, who is in line to become the franchise’s 28th different starter since Dan Marino’s final season in 1999, has a three-year, $67.5 million deal, with $45 million guaranteed. That's a lot of money for someone who went 2-1 in three starts over the last two seasons, even though he completed 79% of his passes for 972 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions in those contests.
But the Dolphins, clearly, know much more than what showed up on film from those three games.
Hafley and Sullivan have deep familiarity with Willis from his time with the Packers, and saw what he did on the practice field, the film room, with the scout team and even interacting with people in the facility every day.
When he'd crack a little joke Thursday, they would smile in unison. When he said things that they liked, which seemed to be pretty much every sentence during his 15-minute session with reporters, they would nod in approval. They know who he is, they know what he's about.
And they're betting on him.
“There’s a lot of great reasons to be here," Willis said. "I mean, those two guys are the biggest ones in my opinion, as far as what I see this organization and this team becoming. I can’t see the future, but all I know is they’re going to put in the work each and every day. And whatever role, whatever mission, whatever it is, they brought me in as a piece of the puzzle. I’m grateful and honored to be a part of that.”
Willis grew up in Atlanta, so he's familiar with the hot, humid weather that awaits him during outdoor workouts in Miami. (“Steamy is OK, sir,” Willis said, laughing.) He's also learning fast about the multicultural aspects of Miami, all the good places to go, is a big fan of the ability to wear shorts most days again, and the area's long list of great restaurants.
“I need to chill out,” Willis said.
Most of all, he knows the Dolphins are starting over. New coach, new GM, new quarterback and more. Miami was 7-10 this past season, hasn't won an AFC East title since 2008 and hasn't won a playoff game since Dec. 30, 2000 — the longest active drought in the NFL.
Willis is tired of waiting. So are the Dolphins. It might be a perfect match.
“We compete each day to earn our spot here. It's not a given for anything and I don’t think it should be," Willis said. "We should be competing for everything every day. That’s the only way we’re going to continue to get better and grow. We don’t want to get stale and just think everything’s everything and become complacent.
“We're ready to get this going. Fins up. That's it.”
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