Dolphins' Malik Willis Heads to IR With Significant Groin Injury

The Miami Dolphins were hit with the news that defensive lineman Zach Sieler is out for the season with a ruptured biceps, and now quarterback Malik Willis is headed to IR.

Willis has been dealing with a groin injury, which has now been revealed to have turned into a core muscle injury. The quarterback will now be out for the season, but he needs rest.

Willis will now miss the next four regular season games. He will now be eligible to return in Week 14 against the Chicago Bears on Dec. 13.

There was something going on with Willis on Sunday, as the Dolphins passer looked to be impacted by the groin injury. During moments where he was seen using his legs to pick up first downs, he was running with a lot less speed.

Willis was also not able to evade pressure. The injury was clearly impacting him in a very significant way.

With Willis heading to IR, the Dolphins will presumably rely on Kyle McCord as the new starter. This will also push Brady Cook into the backup position.

Miami is likely to bring in another quarterback to be the team's third-string option. The likely avenue is to sign a passer off a team's practice squad.

The Dolphins have now lost two significant players in just one day. 

The NFL trade deadline ends on Tuesday at 4 pm EST, and it is highly unlikely that general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan is set to make any moves to bring in any talent via trades. There were also rumors that offensive lineman Austin Jackson was a player to watch for in terms of being traded.

Considering the shaky nature of the quarterback position, Jackson might now be safe from being traded. Despite being on an expiring contract, he is one of the starting five on the line and an integral piece of the offense.

The Dolphins are set to face the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, and may still have a shot at winning the game. The Colts went on a fire sale, trading away multiple players to pick up draft capital for their upcoming rebuild. 

Miami will enter the game with the same roster they have had, minus a defensive leader in Sieler and their starting quarterback in Willis. 

The Dolphins have shown fight throughout the 2026 season, but they have now lost two integral pieces of the roster, which may make things far more difficult down the stretch.