Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is known for his smooth rapport with the media and sense of humor. Both were on display when he spoke with reporters on Thursday.
Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was held out of practice on Wednesday. The former first-round pick has missed a significant amount of practice time due to an undisclosed leg injury.
On Thursday, McDaniel offered an entertaining reason for the wide receiver’s latest absence. McDaniel joked that he held out Waddle because he feared Waddle might go too hard in practice to impress DeVonta Smith.
Waddle and Smith were teammates at Alabama. They both were first-round draft picks in 2021, with Waddle going 6th and Smith going 10th overall.
Smith plays for the Eagles, who on Wednesday held a joint practice with Miami ahead of Saturday’s preseason game between the teams.
Thursday’s joint practice between the teams was canceled due to a stomach bug that has infected numerous Dolphins players. Smith said Thursday he checked in with Waddle to make sure his friend was doing well.
Both players had standout rookie seasons for their respective teams. Waddle had 104 catches for 1,015 yards and 6 touchdowns. Smith had 64 catches for 916 yards and 5 touchdowns.
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