The Phinsider
The 2024 season did not go as planned for the Miami Dolphins and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. The wide out is looking to rebound in 2025.
The 2024 season did not pan out as anyone in the Miami Dolphins organization hoped. The team struggled to score with an offense that never seemed to be in rhythm. Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who opened his career with three-straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons, saw his individual stats drop as Miami struggled to move the ball. He finished the 2024 season with just 744 yards on 58 receptions with two touchdowns, all well below his career averages.
Last week, during the team’s minicamp, Waddle met with the media. He was asked about using 2024 to motivate him for 2025. “Definitely not the year we wanted as a team. Definitely the year that I didn’t want as an individual, but lucky for me, we get to go back, same quarterback, same head coach, OC and run it back. I think the foundation that we are setting here in OTAs is going to really help us in training camp and lead us to the season.”
Head coach Mike McDaniel spoke about the growth and leadership of Waddle as he enters his fifth season in the league, and how the 2024 season impacted him. “I think he’s shown his teammates who he really is because I think one thing that you can’t really minimize is from a receiver’s perspective, having quarterbacks that you didn’t even practice with in training camp; that’s a difficult task, and the way he worked on his game during the season has transferred into what we need to see from him, from every player. Your best players have to show commitment to have growth in their game, and what I’ve seen is he is I think understanding his role as a leader a little bit more.”
McDaniel continued, “He’s taken more ownership in the tonality of practice. When he feels a lull, he has no problem going over to the defense and starting some competitive vibes, let’s just say. That’s an important part of our team and what we’re trying to do, is the best players have to strive to be better. And then when you do that, the trickle-down effect is real, the standard is set and everyone is approaching time with the team in a direction of making the whole football program better. So I think that’s what he’s been a direct part of and it’s been awesome to see because everybody gets juiced when Waddle is juiced, and he’s recognized that and gotten more juiced lately.”
Throughout the team’s offseason training program period, including the organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamp, wide receiver Tyreek Hill was limited as he recovers from wrist surgery. Waddle benefited from the absence, seeing an increased target load throughout the on-field workouts.
“I approach it as any other day,” Waddle said of practicing without Hill. “I don’t think it really matters so much of who’s on...
