"I kind of got thrown into the fire”: Packers QB Malik Willis looks back at rocky Titans stint after breakout night vs. Ravens

For Malik Willis, Saturday night was more about perspective than just a game. After years of being labeled a project quarterback who never really found his footing, Willis finally had a moment under the sun. His performance for the Green Bay Packers against the Baltimore Ravens drew attention on the field. What he said afterward made people listen in even more closely.
Fans have long wondered what went wrong during Willis’ time with the Tennessee Titans. Drafted with promise, he never seemed to get a fair runway. In Green Bay, the contrast has been sharp. Willis looks calmer, more comfortable, and more in control. That difference became the backdrop for his honest reflection on his early NFL years and why they unfolded the way they did.

Malik Willis reflects on his Titans experience and why Green Bay feels different

After the game, Willis spoke openly about his time with the Tennessee Titans and the challenges he faced under owner Amy Adams Strunk. In comments shared by Jason B. Hirschhorn, Willis explained how quickly he was pushed into difficult situations without much room to grow. “More than anything, in Tennessee, I kind of got thrown into the fire,” he said via Hirschhorn’s post on X.
That short line summed up a complicated stretch of his career. Coming out of Liberty University, Willis was used to playing almost exclusively out of the shotgun. In Tennessee, he was asked to play under center while also adjusting to constantly changing personnel groups. At the same time, the Titans offense struggled badly and never found consistency.
Things became even more difficult in 2022. The Titans’ offense fell apart, and by January 2023, the team fired offensive coordinator Todd Downing along with several position coaches. For a young quarterback still trying to find his footing, it meant learning new systems while rarely getting real chances to play. Willis appeared in 11 games over two seasons and started only three. And that lack of stability showed in the numbers. As a rookie, he threw for 276 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions in eight games. The next season was quieter, with just 74 passing yards in three appearances before Tennessee decided to move on. The Titans eventually traded him to Green Bay for a seventh-round pick.
Week 17 showed what a change of scenery can mean. With Jordan Love out due to a concussion, Willis stepped in and completed 18 of 21 passes for 288 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 60 yards and scored twice before leaving late with a shoulder injury, which forced Clayton Tune into the game.
The Packers still lost as Derrick Henry led Baltimore to a dominant win that handed the NFC North title to the Chicago Bears. But for Willis, the night was definitely a turning point.