Malik Willis, like many Black QBs entering the NFL, was criticized before even taking a professional snap simply for not fitting the mold of a traditional quarterback.
“He’s not a quarterback,” exclaimed CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco during the 2022 NFL Draft. “What he did at Liberty is not close to playing quarterback in the NFL. He looks like a running back. He tucks the ball, one read and run. At least Josh Allen stood in there and made throws. I don’t like this pick. I don’t like the player. I think he is a second or third-round pick in my book.”
Sentiments like Prisco’s are an annual annoyance for many Black quarterbacks during the Draft process.
We’ve experienced it for decades- from Marlin Briscoe, Shack Harris and Doug Williams to Cam Newton, Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts.
In 2022, it was Willis’ turn
After being selected with the 86th pick in the third round of the 2022 Draft, Willis didn’t do anything to change the perceptions of people like Prisco.
In his first three games as the starter, the Titans went 1-2 and Willis threw for a measly 276 yards with 0 TDs and 3 INTs. He also rushed for 123 yards and 1 TD.
A year later, Willis was relegated to the bench as the team tried its best to convince fans that rookie Will Levis was the answer under center (spoiler alert- he wasn’t and now the team appears to have found its franchise QB in number one overall pick, Cam Ward).
In August 2024, Willis was sent to the Green Bay Packers for a seventh round pick, and judging by what he’s given the Packers in his limited opportunities, it was a great trade for Green Bay.
Last season, Willis was pressed into duty in Week 2 after Jordan Love was hurt in Week 1. He threw for 122 yards with 1 TD and added another 41 yards on the ground in his first start, a 16-10 win over the Colts. The next week against his former team, Willis threw for 202 yards with 1 TD and rushed for 73 yards and 1 TD en route to a 30-14 win.
He appeared in four additional games and ended up with 550 total yards passing, 5 passing TDs, 0 INTs, 138 yards rushing and 1 TD.
Most importantly, he did what he asked to do and only turned the ball over once (a fumble in the last game of the season).
This season, Willis rarely saw the field.
But last weekend, Willis took over after Love left the game with a concussion and put the team in position to win after throwing for 121 yards with 1 TD and adding another 44 on the ground. Unfortunately, the Packers couldn’t recover an onside kick by the Bears that could have ended the game in regulation and the Bears ultimately won in overtime.
On Friday, Love was ruled out for Saturday’s Week 16 matchup against the Ravens, so Willis, who was listed as questionable due to an illness, will be under center again.
While it’s a must-win game for the Ravens, the Packers have clinched a playoff spot so there isn’t as much at stake for Green Bay, but it’s still important for Willis to play well to both help the team win and silence the critics.
Quarterbacks must give offenses options, and that’s what Willis does. He is what modern day offenses are built on- strong arms and the ability to run.
In his two years at Liberty, Willis threw for 5,107 yards with 47 TDs and 18 INTs and completed 62.4% of his passes. He also rushed for 1,822 yards and 27 TDs, so he has the dynamic skill sets offensive-minded coaches like Matt LaFleur, Sean McVay and Ben Johnson crave.
In the third quarter against the Bears, Willis launched a 33-yard TD to Romeo Dobbs, showing his development and exemplifying what he can do when given the chance to play.
Doug Farrar penned a great piece on Willis’ growth, noting his development in reading defenses and the possibility that Willis might be playing somewhere else next season.
“It’s wise for Willis to focus on the moment, even as he’s put enough good tape down to make the rest of the NFL wonder what he might be able to do elsewhere,” wrote Farrar.
If that happens, it means that Willis proved what he set out to do in 2022.
Show that he belonged in the NFL and, most importantly, that he is a quarterback.
