The Miami Dolphins placed starting quarterback Malik Willis on injured reserve with a core muscle injury on Tuesday.
Willis, 27, had been bothered by a groin injury with a recent MRI revealing the core injury, according to a report by The Ringer. While Willis will have to miss at least four games, the injury is reportedly not expected to end his season.
In his first season as the Dolphins’ starting quarterback, Willis has completed 58.2% of his passes for 1,396 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions as Miami has won just once in eight games and sits in last place in the AFC East.
In Miami’s 19-9 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Willis completed 52% of his passes for 128 yards with one interception while getting sacked three times.
Willis has been sacked 24 times on the season and has just nine combined rushing yards over the past two games after he averaged 37.2 yards on the ground during Miami’s first six games.
Miami’s backup quarterback is Kyle McCord, who has not appeared in an NFL regular-season game after he was drafted in the sixth round by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025 out of Syracuse.