Transcripts

Search Transcripts
Jaylen Waddle – August 21, 2024 Download PDF version

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

WR Jaylen Waddle

(This is usually the space where the bet on the wide receiver room, the draft, is paid. Is there a winner? Is it determined yet?) – “No. No, actually it’s a tied ball game, 10-10, and I think today we just tied it up. So it’s going to all come down to this preseason game. We’ve got a lot riding on this game, me and ‘Reek’ (Tyreek). We’re coaching our players up, and I’m confident that we’re going to come out victorious, man.”

(Can you take us what you’ve been going through the past couple weeks and now the process of working your way back?) – “Just getting back right. Just listening to (Head Athletic Trainer) Kyle (Johnston) and the guys, listening to my body. Something minor but something that we had to respect, and I’m just happy to be back out here working with the guys.”

(Something that normally you would be able to work through if it was regular season?) – “Definitely, I’m always ready to go. Sometimes they just got to pull me back and keep me from myself and ultimately having me out there for regular season.”

(So the assumption is you won’t play on Friday?) – “I don’t know. They want to go out there, I’m always down to get out there and play so whatever they want me to do. I guess y’all got to ask (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel).”

(Last year I don’t believe you played in the preseason. Did it feel any different going into Week 1 not having any preseason reps?) – “Yeah, definitely. It definitely is, because that’s the first time being tackled in six, seven months. So it is a little different, but ultimately, it’s about health and the best thing for the team and for myself.”

(You were pretty snakebitten last year, right? It seemed like every week even if you didn’t miss time, you got knocked out of a game for a series or two getting checked out. What was that like going through all those bumps and bruises last year?) – “It’s definitely difficult, just getting the minor little nagging injuries. It’s just part of the game. Obviously something that you don’t want, but you’ve got to respect sometimes, but yeah, it’s football.”

(Going off of that, your past three years what has being sidelined – briefly or at length – what has being sidelined taught you about how to pay attention to the game, what to watch for when you’re not actually able to be on the field?) – “You see a lot more, especially when you’re not playing. You get to watch the offense work especially from the sideline view and when you get back in the game, you kind of can take some of the stuff you learn from the sideline. It’s just like a different point of view knowing that you don’t have to focus on listening to all these special teams and having players around. You really get the feedback of receivers, what they’re seeing and going to the quarterback and telling him. So you kind of get a different view and it definitely helps you when you get back out there.”

(Where would you assess where QB Tua Tagovailoa’s game is at right now?) – “Man, y’all see it, man. Day-in and day-out, he’s just making tremendous plays, playing with a lot of confidence, leading our guys and I’m excited for him. I’m excited for the year, excited for the team and what he’s going to contribute to the team.”

(Combo of practices – when you have two different NFL franchises practicing together and against each other in drills, take us into what that is and what that’s like – Dolphins and Bucs – and just give thoughts to that.) – “It gets real competitive out here playing against someone. We love it. I know receivers love it because you get to go against different DBs. You get to not go against the same DBs every day that know kind of how you play, what you’re going to do; so you get to try different moves and see how it works and you get to really try all the stuff you’ve been working on throughout the year so it’s great. I know it’s great work for the DBs and everybody here, but we love it.”

(What do you think the biggest growth will be in Year 3 of this offense for you guys?) – “I think the understanding. I think everybody understands where to be, the scheme, kind of understand what (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) is going to call. We’ve got a lot of chemistry and banked reps with Mike (McDaniel), so it’s just having that chemistry and knowing the offense, play-in and play-out, what we’re going to see.”

(What is the biggest thing you’ve seen from an improvement standpoint with QB Tua Tagovailoa because you’ve been with him since freshman year?) – “The biggest improvement? I’d say his communication, really leading us out there and in the huddle. He was kind of not as talkative when he first came in just due to culture, and I know just being at Bama with him, the standard was already set so I feel like it’s something that he learned. But he’s much more talkative, really does a good job of telling us what we want, what he wants and just leading the guys.”

Search Transcripts

Weekly Archives