The 2026 season is an important test for the Miami Dolphins after they finished last season with a losing record of 7-10. Five weeks into the new season, the Dolphins are still searching for their first win. One area of concern has been the quarterback position, with Malik Willis struggling. However, the team’s decision not to make any changes has prompted former Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry to question Willis’ commitment.
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“I got a lot of Miami Dolphins friends and homies that watch the game and I’m always getting text messages about how they feel about the team or people asking me how I feel about the team,” shared Landry on the 4th and South podcast. “And I will say this, Malik Willis, when we talk to you, man, I love your demeanor. I love your energy. But when I watch you play now, and I think about our conversation, and you just kind of being like chill and relaxed about it. I don’t say whether you do well or not, but you was just more laidback to me.
“And I feel like that’s not the kind of persona as a quarterback, at that quarterback position with a team like that, you guys have to have. It’s like, every time you throw the ball or pass the ball or whatever it is, I’m like, I’m scratching my head, bro. Like, it looked bad. And my guys are calling, my guys calling for his head in my chat, bro.”
The way the fans and Landry feel about Willis is reflected in the quarterback’s numbers.
With a 68.4 passer rating, Willis ranks last among the 34 quarterbacks who have attempted at least 50 passes this season. Even several backups have fared better, including Case Keenum (Chicago, 89.7), Jameis Winston (New York Giants, 81.2), and Jalen Daniels (Tampa Bay, 74.6). Their numbers have all surpassed those of Miami’s top free-agent acquisition this season.
Well, that’s not enough to establish how “laidback” Willis is. Willis ranks last among 19 full-time starters in passer rating (68.4) and completion percentage (56.2%). He has thrown only two TDs, averaged 169.8 passing yards per game, and recorded 35 first downs.
Willis’ recent performance illustrates the concerns.
He had a difficult outing in Sunday’s 31-24 loss to Cincinnati, opening with four consecutive incompletions before completing a pass in the second quarter. He finished 15-of-27 for 137 yards and scored once through the air and once on the ground. He threw two interceptions and lost a fumble for the third consecutive game. Even after this, Miami head coach Jeff Hafley refuses to let go of Willis and make changes at the quarterback position.
As they enter the bye week, the head coach dropped an update.
“We’ve played five games, and Malik is our quarterback,” Hafley said, via the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
However, given how things have been so far, Hafley had to admit that Willis can no longer function in neutral gear.
“We got to look hard at it during the bye week,” Hafley said, via ESPN. “We talk about ball security all the time and we work on it and we’ve got to do a better job of putting him in those situations and he’s got to have the awareness to protect the ball as well. We’ll take a hard look at fixing that because we’re not going to win games if we’re fumbling the ball like that.”
Willis has now been put on a clock to prove himself. The Dolphins will get a two-week window to reassess before resuming their season with a road game against the New York Jets on Sunday, October 25.