When the Miami Marlins last hoisted a World Series trophy in 2003, rookie sensation Dontrelle Willis—known for his electric fastball and high-leg kick—delivered three key relief appearances against the Yankees. Fast forward to Friday night at loanDepot Park, and another Willis took the mound, but this time the results were a bit less legendary.

New Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis stepped up to throw the ceremonial first pitch before the Marlins' 6-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. Unfortunately for the signal-caller, the ball sailed high and wide of infielder Graham Pauley, bouncing off the backstop before Pauley could retrieve it. The crowd groaned as the errant toss missed the strike zone by a wide margin.

Willis, who signed a three-year, $67.5 million deal with the Dolphins this offseason, quickly addressed the mishap on social media. In the comments of a Marlins Instagram post, he wrote, "I slipped," accompanied by a teary-eye emoji.

While Willis has yet to throw his first regular-season pass in a Dolphins uniform, this first-pitch moment didn't exactly set the tone for a smooth start. But he's in good company—or at least, he's not alone. Over the years, plenty of NFL stars have struggled with the ceremonial throw. Patrick Mahomes, whose father pitched in the MLB, famously airmailed one in 2016. Travis Kelce bounced his first pitch off the grass in 2023, and JJ McCarthy missed the mark in 2024. On the flip side, quarterbacks like Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick have shown off impressive arm talent from the mound.

For Malik Willis, the good news is that football season is still ahead. And if his first pass in Miami goes better than his first pitch, Dolphins fans will be happy to forget this slip-up ever happened.