The last time the Marlins won a World Series, they turned to a rookie Dontrelle Willis in three of their six games against the New York Yankees. Back then, in 2003, the flamethrowing and high leg-kicking lefty delivered a trio of World Series relief appearances in the first of his five seasons with the then-Florida Marlins.
Another Willis took the mound Friday night in Miami, this one a righty without the velocity or accuracy D-Train possessed.
Advertisement
New Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis was on the bump to deliver the first pitch ahead of a 6-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. It landed nowhere near the zone. The ball sailed high and wide of infielder Graham Pauley, who had to retrieve it after it bounced off the backstop.
Here’s a bird’s-eye view, as captured by Marlins reporter Kevin Barral:
A surprised crowd at loanDepot park could be heard groaning during the errant toss. In the comment section of a Marlins Instagram post about Willis throwing out the first pitch, he wrote, “I slipped” with a teary-eye emoji attached to his reply.
Willis, who signed a three-year deal reportedly worth $67.5 million this offseason, has yet to throw his first pass for the Dolphins, but his first pitch didn’t make the best impression; however, he’s not the first NFL player to embarrass himself in this manner.
Advertisement
While some, such as Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick, have impressed during their ceremonial deliveries, several others have struggled mightily. J.J. McCarthy was off the mark on his in 2024. The year before that, Travis Kelce bounced a first pitch off the grass.
Patrick Mahomes, a future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback whose dad was an MLB pitcher, even airmailed a first pitch in 2016. Tom Brady, widely considered NFL’s GOAT, had one in 2015 that didn’t reach home without a bit of help from the ground.
All this to say that a first pitch isn’t an indictment on an NFL’s player skill set. Still, scorn after a blunder like Willis’ is natural and humorous, too.
For what it’s worth, Willis proved Friday that he isn’t helpless on the diamond — well, at least in the batting cages. That’s where the 2022 third-round pick of the Tennessee Titans recorded a 109.6 mph exit velocity.
Advertisement
Willis, a Liberty product, is getting a chance to pilot the Dolphins’ offense under a new regime that features head coach Jeff Hafley. Both of them spent the past two seasons in Green Bay with the Packers, Hafley a defensive coordinator and Willis a backup for Jordan Love.
When Willis’ number was called last season, he turned heads. This season, he’s hoping to shine in the spotlight and, of course, avoid slip-ups as comical as Friday’s on the mound.
