Malik Willis said his groin felt tight during the Miami Dolphins’ 19-9 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, offering a postgame update on an injury that had not kept him out of practice during the week.
Willis described the groin as “a little tight today.” Willis received treatment during the week and appeared affected when running Sunday.
Malik Willis admit that his groin was “a little tight” today
He got treatment on it this week and looked like it impacted his ability to run today
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) November 8, 2026
The quarterback finished with 128 passing yards, no touchdown passes and one interception while completing 13 of 25 attempts. He added seven rushing yards on two carries.
Malik Willis played after a full week of practice
Miami’s official Week 9 injury report listed Willis with a groin injury but recorded full participation Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. He had no game designation entering the matchup.
That extends the practice picture in the Dolphins’ Thursday injury update. Willis was available to practice throughout the week, but his comments after facing Detroit show that participation did not mean he played without discomfort.
His response also differed from how he discussed the previous game. Asked Wednesday whether the groin had contributed to his limited running against New England, Willis did not identify it as the reason.
“I think that’s just how the game played out. I’m not sure that had anything to do with it really,” Willis said.
Sunday’s acknowledgment adds a health consideration to the evaluation of his performance. It does not establish that he sustained a new injury against Detroit or explain every problem Miami had moving the ball.
Dolphins’ offensive problems extended beyond Willis’ mobility
Miami finished with 228 total yards and committed 11 penalties for 87 yards. Caleb Douglas accounted for 70 of Willis’ 128 passing yards on six receptions, leaving the rest of the quarterback’s completions to produce 58 yards.
Those numbers give Miami more to address than its quarterback’s rushing output. Penalties cost the offense field position, while its passing production was concentrated heavily in one receiver; neither issue disappears simply because Willis feels better.
The Dolphins fell to 1-7. As for whether his groin would improve during the coming week, Willis offered a brief response.
“Lord willing,” the groin will be better this week, Willis added https://t.co/zsd3BPxRaC
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) November 8, 2026
