The Miami Dolphins are going to enter the 2026 campaign looking almost totally unrecognizable from the last time we saw them in 2025. However, two guys are going to have more eyes on them than anyone else, and that’s head coach Jeff Hafley and quarterback Malik Willis.
Hafley, who was formerly the Green Bay Packers‘ defensive coordinator, was hired to replace the outgoing Mike McDaniel. Shortly after that, Miami signed Willis, who spent time with Hafley in Green Bay, to take over for Tua Tagovailoa under center. How Willis fares in this desolate-looking offense is going to determine how much success, if any, the Dolphins enjoy in 2026, and it sounds like Hafley has a plan when it comes to getting his new quarterback up to speed.
Jeff Hafley Opens Up on Plan for Malik Willis
Willis played sparingly over the past two seasons as Jordan Love’s backup for the Packers, but when he found his way onto the field, he looked the part of a starting quarterback. The Dolphins saw enough from Willis to hand him a three-year, $67.5 million contract, with the hope being that he can help get the team’s offense back on track.
There are a lot of question marks surrounding Willis, though. Right off the bat, handing a guy who has only started six games in the first four seasons of his career a $67.5 million contract is a big risk, but beyond that, Miami has very little support for him in terms of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. Hafley is also entering his first season as a head coach, so it’s fair to wonder if he has the chops to make adjustments if Willis struggles.
With all that in mind, there’s clearly a lot that Willis has to learn before the start of the regular season. Rather than throwing everything at him all at once, Hafley is attempting to ease Willis into his new role with his new team, as the focus in the early going has been on learning the playbook and the scheme, while also getting on the same page as his teammates.
“My main focus for him right now is to learn the scheme, get to know the players and not overdo the whole leadership thing,” Hafley said, per Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. “I mean, I think that’s my job and [the coaches’] job right now, so he can focus on becoming the best quarterback and the best player and the best teammate he can be.”
Jeff Hafley, Dolphins Are Placing A Lot on Malik Willis’ Plate
GettyMiami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley shared his true feelings on Malik Willis
Willis is being tasked with quite a bit as he sets up shop in Miami. The silver lining is that, with this team clearly rebuilding, expectations aren’t going to be particularly high for Willis right out of the gate. At some point, though, he is going to have to prove that he is capable of putting up points on a weekly basis.
The Dolphins are starting from scratch, and that is true of their setup with their quarterback. In order for Willis to have the best shot at succeeding, he needs to be fully knowledgeable of every aspect of the team’s offense. Right now, the team is taking things slow with him, but the hope is that it will help him deliver the goods when Week 1 of the new season rolls around.
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