Malik Willis tells Miami Dolphins teammates: 'this is a business
Malik Willis, the Miami Dolphins' starting quarterback, has been addressing his teammates with a message that resonates with the team's culture: "this is a business" and they need to take it seriously.
The 27-year-old quarterback, in his first year as an NFL starter, has been having man-to-man conversations with his teammates, emphasizing the importance of taking pride in their work and doing it to the best of their ability. "We've got to understand this is a business and we've got to take what we do personal," Willis said. "We've got to take pride in it and we've got to do it to the best of our ability regardless."
Willis' modesty hasn't precluded him from imploring teammates to buckle down, and his message seems to be resonating with the team. "It's just a conversation more than anything," he said. "I don't know if you need some super courage or anything else (to address teammates). These are people I work with every day, I go to war with."
The Dolphins have a maximum of two years to kick the tires on Willis, and he knows he needs to make a strong impression to secure his spot as the team's starter. Despite the pressure, Willis is focused on developing a connection with his receivers, particularly Caleb Douglas, the third-round pick out of Texas Tech. "I think he's a great player," Willis said.
The Athletic recently conducted a survey of 50 league experts, including executives, and Willis came up as the 29th-best quarterback in the NFL. However, the survey's caveat is that Willis was placed in the "unproven player; not enough information to classify" tier, which includes players like Drake Maye and Jordan Love. One executive even called Willis "the one guy where you said, 'OK, if we sign him, we give him a couple years, he could maybe ascend to that 2 level'."
Willis' ability to make plays with his legs is a key aspect of his game, and he's doing both well enough that to ask which he does better is to invite another chapter of the never-ending reporters' debates. He's developing a connection with his receivers, and his leadership is being praised by his teammates. "He stood up in front of the team. That takes a lot of courage to talk to the team, right there. Just man to man, just keeping it real," said offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor, the Dolphins' first-round pick.
As the Dolphins continue to work on their chemistry, Willis' message is resonating with the team, and his leadership is being praised by his teammates. With the Dolphins' season just around the corner, Willis' performance will be under the spotlight, and he's determined to make a strong impression.
Source: Yahoo Sports