Malik Willis isn’t just showcasing his talent under center this year, he’s also flexing his leadership.
The Green Bay Packers have gotten a ton out of Malik Willis as Jordan Love’s backup this season, and it has the Tennessee Titans maybe regretting letting him go (especially given the current state of their quarterback room). As if Tennessee needed more salt rubbed into this particular wound, Willis has made it clear he’s not just a talented player but a welcome addition to the locker room.
Per ProFootballTalk, Willis was asked whether his play this season was at least partly motivated by a desire to audition himself for a starting job in 2025. But he refused to take the bait: Willis instead delivered an awfully classy response, saying he’s worried less about what he can do for someone else and more about what he can do to help the Packers win this season.
Malik Willis has classiest response yet about helping Jordan Love and Packers
“We’ve still got a lot of games left in this season,” Willis told reporters. “We’ve got a game this week against a really good opponent. I feel like that’s who we’ve got to focus on right now. I’m just enjoying the ride and taking it one game at a time, one week at a time, one day at a time.”
Which is exactly what you want to hear from your backup quarterback who’s already gone above and beyond, as he’s had to come in multiple times this season in relief of an injured Love. And Willis hasn’t just managed to hold done the fort; he’s thrived. The numbers speak for themselves:He’s undefeated in two starts, and he helped the Packers finish the job against the Jacksonville Jaguars after Love went down with a groin injury. He’s thrown for three touchdowns and hasn’t thrown an interception either.
After a performance like that, it was a valid question as to whether he’s let his mind drift toward the thought of being a full-time starter in the NFL after flaming out with the Titans. But Willis didn’t take the opportunity to gloat about how well he’s played. That’s largely because this week’s game against the Detroit Lions is too big to overlook. It’s also because he could potentially make his third start of the season.
Love practiced on Thursday, albeit in a limited capacity. It’s a good sign, and one that points toward him starting as both he and coach Matt LaFleur said it’s realistic that Love could play on Sunday. But we’ve seen this injury dog Love for weeks now, and if he suffers another setback, Willis will once again be called upon to fill in.
And he’ll have the chance to say the quiet part out loud, without saying a word. With the amount of teams dealing with quarterback issues – including his former team – if Willis continues to show moments of greatness this season, however many times he’s needed to come in, where he plays next year will be taken care of.