Dolphins news: Malik Willis’s play in the spotlight

October 13, 2026

Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley confirmed on Monday that he has no intention of benching starting quarterback Malik Willis following the team's 31-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on October 11, 2026. The defeat dropped the Dolphins to a 0-5 record as they head into their scheduled bye week.

Hafley publicly backed his quarterback while addressing the team's ongoing offensive struggles, emphasizing that accountability falls on the entire roster.

Addressing the media after the game, Hafley stood behind his starter. “We’ve played five games, and Malik is our quarterback,” Hafley said.

The head coach also stressed that the team's issues extend beyond the quarterback position. “We need to be better.

Malik needs to be better, OK? And that’s not the headline.

The headline is we all need to be better, and I mean that,” Hafley said.

Through five games as Miami's starting quarterback, Willis has completed 73 of 130 pass attempts for 849 yards, throwing two touchdowns and four interceptions. He currently holds a passer rating of 68.4.

His performance in the recent loss against Cincinnati featured significant early struggles, as Willis stood at 1-for-7 passing for 22 yards late in the second quarter. The Bengals built a 21-7 lead over the Dolphins by halftime.

Two of Willis' pass attempts were intercepted in the first half on Sunday by Cincinnati Bengals safety Jordan Battle. Prior to the matchup, Battle noted that the Bengals defense had spotted a physical tell in the quarterback's process.

Battle said before the game that Cincinnati noticed a slight tap in Willis' throwing mechanics, which allowed their defense to time their coverage and pass rush against the Miami signal-caller.

Following their winless five-game start to open the season, the Dolphins enter a bye week to evaluate their performance. The Miami Dolphins are scheduled to return to action for their next game on October 25, when they face off against the New York Jets.

This report also draws on coverage from Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports.