Malik Willis explained his awful first pitch

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Malik Willis explained his awful first pitch

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated May 3, 2026 5:14 PM ET

Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis has an excuse for his viral first pitch at a recent Marlins game.

Willis was widely mocked for his errant first pitch prior to Friday’s game at LoanDepot Park, which saw his attempt go flying to the backstop (video here). The Marlins shared video of Willis’ appearance on their Instagram account Saturday, though notably, they did not show any angles that actually showed the pitch itself.

Willis owned up to his effort in the comments, though, with a modest excuse for his performance.

“I slipped,” Willis wrote, accompanied by a crying emoji.

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Willis did not actually slip, but after an effort like that, he had to defend himself a little bit.

The good news for Willis is he is not the first quarterback to botch a ceremonial first pitch. If he plays well for the Dolphins, this will be long forgotten. If not, it will probably be viewed as a sign of what was to come.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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