Miami Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle didn’t reach the 1,000-yard mark in 2025, marking two straight seasons in which he has fallen short after surpassing that number in each of his first three years in the league.
The dip in production has coincided with the Dolphins’ recent struggles as a team. They missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season under coach Mike McDaniel, who was dismissed shortly after the regular season ended.
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Since then, the franchise has begun a major overhaul, cutting ties with key contributors such as Tyreek Hill, James Daniels, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Bradley Chubb.
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Waddle appeared on Thursday’s episode of “The Set with Terron Armstead” and opened up about his relationship with former coach Mike McDaniel, who led the team from 2022 to 2025. He admitted that the two didn’t always agree on everything, but added that there’s no lingering resentment.
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“I got a lot of love for Mike,” Waddle said. “It was a lot of butting heads when he felt some type of way and I felt some type of way, Mike knows I got nothing but love for him.”
When Mike McDaniel was hired by the Dolphins in 2022, Jaylen Waddle was coming off a record-setting rookie season in which he broke the league’s reception mark for first-year receivers, a record Puka Nacua would later break in 2023.
Waddle thrived early under McDaniel. He finished the 2022 season as the league leader in yards per reception and recorded the fourth-most receiving yards in a season in team history. Even with injuries limiting him to 14 games in 2023, he still crossed the 1,000-yard threshold.
However, his production took a hit after that, as he failed to hit the 1,000-yard mark in each of his final two years playing under McDaniel, who recently accepted the Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator role.
Jaylen Waddle reacts to unexpected midseason trade speculation
Several members of the Miami Dolphins found their names circulating in trade rumors at the 2025 deadline, including former first-round pick Jaylen Waddle.
Speaking on The Set, Waddle admitted the rumors caught him by surprise and gave him a harsh reminder about the nature of the league.
“People don’t realize how ruthless this business is, and how quickly you can be changed and let go,” Waddle said. “I kinda got a little glimpse of that this season when they was having trade [talks] and I was like, ‘Me? I’m getting traded?’ I didn’t even know that was a thing.
“So when you see things like that, it just reminds me how cutthroat this business is. If your team isn’t winning, there’s gonna be changes.”
It remains uncertain where the Dolphins currently stand regarding Waddle’s long-term future. However, based on his reaction to the trade speculation, it’s fair to assume Waddle would prefer to stay in Miami.
Jaylen Waddle also shared that he has already spoken with newly appointed head coach Jeff Hafley, who took over in January. This might be a good sign that they are looking forward to working together.
Edited by nagpaltusharn25