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Jaylen Waddle – December 1, 2021 Download PDF version

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

WR Jaylen Waddle

(I wanted to ask you about the touchdown pass that you caught from QB Tua Tagovailoa. The one that you jumped up, it was up by your facemask. I think it was on third down. What impressed you about what Tua did on that particular play?) – “He just put the ball in a great place. It was a timing route, so he just put there, where only I could get it really.”

(QB Tua Tagovailoa is second in the NFL in completion percentage. How would you describe Tua’s accuracy?) – “It’s always been a talent of his since in college. He’s pretty accurate and that just show the stats just show it.”

(What was the reaction you got from the waddle celebration?) – “I got a whole bunch of messages and mentions on Twitter and stuff. It’s been crazy.”

(I know LB Jaelan Phillips and DT Christian Wilkins said they have been trying to get you to do it for a while. What led you to finally say you’ll pull it out?) – “I actually did it last week because Christian always runs on for field goal. He’ll be the first one and we just started doing it.”

(Against the Jets, you spun the ball. Against the Panthers you spiked it. Which one do you prefer? Or the waddle?) – “It doesn’t even matter. It’s just how I’m feeling at that moment.”

(Have you thought about working on the different variations of the waddle?) – “No, not at all.”

(Have you studied any penguin film?) – “(laughter) People have been sending me videos of me doing it next to a penguin. I got some work to do for sure. (laughter)”

(How are you going to monetize this? Do you have merchandise? What’s going on?) – “Nah. It’s really just a me, Christian (Wilkins) and ‘JP’ (Jaelan Phillips) thing. We just do it. We just have fun.”

(I know the team comes first for you but is there a statistical goal out there for you whether it’s 100 catches, 1,000 yards or something that would be meaningful for you from a personal standpoint?) – “Not necessarily, to be honest. I’m just going to go out there and really try to handle business the best I can honestly. Not try to do too much, just do what I’m asked and just play the game.”

(Any nice texts from any other receivers from this draft class? Your buddy WR Devonta Smith or WR Ja’Marr Chase? Did anyone from your draft class send you a text after your big game Sunday?) – “No. Me and ‘Smitty’ (Devonta Smith) talk regularly. But it’s never just about football, to be honest.”

(WR DeVante Parker was back at practice. What would it do if he’s back in the lineup this weekend?) – “Everybody knows that DeVante is a great player, so it’s just another weapon. It makes our offense that much better and just bring his vet style to the game.”

(What does QB Tua Tagovailoa do to make yards after the catch possible for you and your teammates?) – “I think he hits you while you’re in stride so that your run after catch ability is on display. I think just where he puts the ball allows you to make a move and things like that. His ball placement is very key.”

(Yesterday, Cornerbacks Coach Charles Burks talked about you help his defensive backs. Practicing against you helps them. Today, CB Nik Needham said the same thing. What’s the reverse of that? How have those guys helped you polish your game as a pro?) – “They help me a lot, to be honest with you, because they all have different styles and that comes with it throughout the week. The style change of corners and matchups and things like that. ‘X’ (Xavien Howard), Byron (Jones), Nik (Needham) all of them guys help me a lot.”

(I saw a statistic from Travis Wingfield the other day. He said that when you were running, they timed your miles per hour on the 50-plus yarder and it was the fifth fastest ball-carrier of the year. Does that surprise you? How fast did you feel while you were running that play?) – “To be honest, I didn’t feel like I was just scooting like that. When they told me, I was like ‘pretty good, pretty good.’”

(You chose Be The Match for My Cause My Cleats this week. Can you talk a little bit about that?) – “Yeah, I chose Be The Match earlier because of sickle cell and what they do with that and the awareness they bring to sickle cell, which I have the sickle cell trait. So it was something I felt like I should do. I found out late that I had it. I think I was in college when I had it. I think it’s something that everybody needs to be aware of and get knowledge on that.”

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