Малик Уиллис, Майк Врабель и отношения, подчеркивающие «Дельфины против Патриотов»

The relationship between Mike Vrabel and Malik Willis can be deciphered in a myriad of ways.

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You can ask the Miami Dolphins quarterback himself.

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“it was hard coaching,” Willis said curtly. “Trying to get guys better.”

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Or ask Willis’ former coach.

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“Malik’s continued to develop, and that’s the thing that I’m proud of him for,” the New England Patriots coach said Monday, later adding “he’s starting to see things a little quicker, a little clearer, just as he’s developed in the NFL.”

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The truth of the matter is that no one truly knows how they feel about one another. What is clear, however, is the facts. Vrabel, the then-coach of the Tennessee Titans, drafted Willis in 2022. He got three starts as a rookie. Vrabel was fired. Willis was traded to the Green Bay Packers.

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Most people in Willis’ shoes could hold a bit of animosity. Three starts is barely a chance to get one’s feet wet. Guard Jonah Savaiianae certainly declared he’d feel some type of way when presented with a blind scenario that mirrored that of his quarterback.

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“Hell yeah,” Savaiianae responded when asked if he would have any extra motivation. Obviously, the second-year guard will fight for his quarterback no matter what—it’s part of the job description—yet he too was willing to go above and beyond this week. “If he’s taking it personal, I’m taking it personal with him.”

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Willis, however, doesn’t happen to be most people. During an August interview with “4th & South,” the topic of whether Willis thought he got a fair shot in Tennessee. His answer was very telling.

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“I don’t think it mattered,” Willis responded when asked whether or not he got a fair shot with the Titans. “Everybody don’t get a fair shot. That’s how the league works.”

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The answer stayed consistent when the topic of his time with Vrabel came up during his Week 7 media session.

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“You do your job or they will find somebody else to do it,” Willis said. The experience also taught him a lot about how teams will attack what’s perceived as the weakest link. “Even just the structure of defense and how teams are trying to attack other teams and how just the schematics and mental breakdown of how the NFL works versus college because college is just running your plays against whoever you’re playing this week, instead of trying to attack them always as far as structurally. You might be trying to attack just a player or this and that. But now you’re trying to attack the scheme, you’re trying to attack, tendencies and all that and being able to realize those while you’re in the heat of battle.”

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Aaron Brewer happens to be one of the few people who could speak to what was going in Nashville at the time. The center won a starting spot the very same year that Willis arrived in Tennessee. Brewer describes the time as learning experience for his quarterback yet the talent was always there.

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“I always knew what Malik was capable of,” Brewer said. “When he was in Tennessee, he just didn’t get a chance to present it. He got put into an offense that didn’t fit him. I feel like he was already fighting uphill after that.”

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At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter whether Willis hates or loves Vrabel. The two won’t line up each one another on Sunday. What Willis ultimately cares about is wins, something that the Dolphins have found hard to come by in 2026.

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Willis hopes to change that come Sunday.

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“You play the team, you don’t play the coach,” Willis said. “And I can’t say anything but great things about Coach Vrabel. And I mean, he taught me a lot about ball in general in this league, at this level. So I can’t be any type of way towards him. Obviously, he had to do what the best thing was for his team at that point, in his opinion. You can’t control other people’s opinion. All you can do is keep working and when your opportunity arises, take advantage of it.”