Malik Willis throws out terrible first pitch at Marlins game
By David Wasson
Published:
Malik Willis is set to earn $67.5 million over the next three years to throw a football for the NFL’s Miami Dolphins – with $45 million guaranteed.
Good thing Willis isn’t getting paid to throw a baseball, though, as the Dolphins would likely be asking for their money back.
Willis, Miami’s presumptive QB1 for the 2026 season, uncorked an objectively terrible first pitch before Friday night’s Marlins-Phillies game at Loan Depot Park – a gem that not only eluded reserve infielder Graham Pauley but also soared wide to the backstop to almost plunk an unsuspecting groundskeeper.
Willis inked a 3-year, $67.5 million contract with the Miami Dolphins in March 2026 to become their starting quarterback, replacing Tua Tagovailoa. The deal has an average annual salary of $22.5 million, with a low $5.67 million cap hit in 2026 to aid the team’s salary cap management.
The 26-year-old former Auburn and Liberty QB was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Willis, who has six career starts and 22 appearances, was dealt to the Green Bay Packers in 2024. He has passed for 1,322 yards and six touchdowns with three interceptions in his NFL career.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
