Former Flame Malik Willis prepares for debut with Dolphins
September 8, 2026 : By Flames Central
With the start of the 2026 NFL season right around the corner, former Liberty Flames quarterback Malik Willis (’21) is hoping to make waves as the newest starter of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. “Flames Central” recently sat down with Willis in Miami to discuss his time in the NFL and the role his faith plays in pushing him to new heights.
Willis spent two years as Liberty’s primary starter before being selected 86th overall by the Tennessee Titans in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. This offseason, he signed a three-year, $67.5 million contract with the Dolphins after two years serving as the backup quarterback for the Green Bay Packers.
“The opportunity has changed,” he said. “Obviously, the role I was in in Green Bay was a little different than getting a chance to be ‘the guy’ here. That’s the biggest change. Everything else is the same. (I) try to go to work every day (and) try to use this platform to glorify God and have fun out there. That’s basically it.”
Willis found success as a dual-threat quarterback during his two seasons as the Flames’ starter, often displaying spectacular throws as well as explosive rushing bursts. In 23 career starts at Liberty, he recorded 5,117 passing yards and 47 passing touchdowns, complemented by another 1,822 yards and 27 touchdowns on the ground.
In his first four seasons in the NFL, Willis served primarily as a backup. While in Green Bay, however, he established some rapport as a quality option to fill in when Jordan Love was injured. Now, he has the opportunity to officially take the reins of the Dolphins offense.
“The biggest thing I think God has tried to teach me through this process of the NFL and life in general is (through) the ups in downs of it, stay trusting in Him and learn more from the downs than from the ups,” Willis said. “It helped me grow my faith in the downs. You know how the media is and how people are; they are kind of fickle, and they go up and down. But God is always stable throughout. I can always trust in that and that can be my first and foremost. I always have something to rely on. I’ve got foundation. Other than that, I just work hard every day and try to get better. When you get the opportunity, that’s when you take advantage of it.”
As a locker room leader for an entirely new team, Willis said he hopes to replicate his success with the Flames and guide the Dolphins to victory. The Dolphins officially kick off the season Sunday afternoon with a 4:25 EST road matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.
“I just love football,” he said. “This is what I like to do. If you want to keep a job, you’ve got to work to keep a job. Putting in the work is first and foremost. If you’re not putting in the work, it doesn’t matter what role you’re in, you aren’t going to last long. I’m just grateful for the opportunity and trying to continue to get better at things that I can work on..”
>>“Flames Central” is a weekly Emmy Award-winning sports program featuring in-depth stories focusing on Liberty University athletics and the intersection of faith and sports. Watch more inspiring stories from “Flames Central” at LibertyFlamesCentral.com or on ESPN+. You can also tune into the “Flames Central Podcast” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
