MIAMI GARDENS, Fla., June 4 (UPI) — Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle says he doesn’t think he would have received his $84.75 million contract extension without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s help.
Waddle’s deal came as Tagovailoa continues to negotiate for his own, lucrative extension with the franchise. Tagovailoa and the entire Dolphins roster were present for the first day of mandatory minicamp Tuesday in Miami Gardens, Fla.
“Tua’s my guy,” Waddle said at the Baptist Health Training Complex. “I’ve been saying that for a long time, without Tua, I don’t think I would have gotten the extension I got.
“I know everybody’s rooting for him. He’s our guy, so it make sense to get it done.”
The Dolphins watched several key veterans bolt in free agency as they to balance their checkbook and massage finances — while securing key players — to stay within the limits of the league’s salary cap.
By paying Waddle, the franchise sent a clear message about prioritizing its offensive weaponry — potentially to the detriment of other vital positions.
Waddle ($28.2 million) and fellow Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill ($30 million) rank inside the Top 5 at the position in terms of the average annual value of their full contracts. Only five other NFL teams have two wide receivers with average annual values inside the Top 25.
Tagovailoa is expected to receive in excess of $50 million with his new pact, which he said he hopes to be completed by training camp. The fifth-year quarterback, who led the league in passing yards in 2023 and passer rating in 2022, said there has been “a lot of progress” in talks between his agents and the Dolphins.
“I’m not frustrated … another word,” Tagovailoa said Tuesday. “I just want to get something done. Not concerned, probably antsy in a way. This is the nature of the beast. This is how it goes.”
Hill, Waddle and other Dolphins playmakers said that Tagovailoa has increased his desire to get them together, outside of the team facility, to throw passes and build rapport.
Several legendary quarterbacks, including Tom Brady, previously participated in in similar gatherings en route to Hall of Fame careers.
“Tua is doing a great job of orchestrating that,” Hill said. “That’s a beautiful thing because our first year we were doing it here and there. This year, like we’re like he’s really honing in on the guys hanging out and building that camaraderie with each other.”
Hill mentioned a potential contract restructuring Tuesday, when asked about remaining a Top-5 highest-paid wide receiver amid a slew of new deals for other pass catchers. He also said his his prioritizes being a “Dolphin for life” over maximizing his personal financial interests.
The NFL’s 2023 receiving yardage leader, who frequently supported Tagovailoa publicly, also expressed his eagerness to see the quarterback finalize his extension. He said he believes Tagovailoa should be paid among the highest quarterbacks in the NFL because of his potential.
“Tua should have been paid,” Hill said. “I’ve been saying this all off-season, man I know we got a great front office with [general manager Chris Grier] and [Senior Vice President Brandon] Shore, and they are going to get it done.”
But while the Hill-Tagovailoa connection may receive the most national attention, the Dolphins’ offense often spikes when Waddle is more involved.
Miami was 6-0 during coach Mike McDaniel’s tenure when Waddle secured at least seven catches, compared to a 12-8 mark during than span when Hill had at least seven receptions.
The Dolphins also went 12-3 in games in which Waddle scored a touchdown, triggering his penguin-inspired end zone celebrations.
Waddle posted a then-rookie record 104 catches in 2021, but Tagovailoa and McDaniel helped orchestrate and offense that better capitalized on his explosiveness in 2022, when he led the NFL with 18.1 yards per catch.
Waddle said Hill’s mentorship also aided his evolution into one of the most feared playmakers in the league.
“When I first got here, there were a lot of things that needed to be cleaned up,” Hill said of Waddle. “And I was just the same way, a young pup, but very explosive, fast and can can move with some of the best.
“So just just to see him get paid just to see him, you know, get recognized as one of the top guys in his league, is awesome.
“So now his new nickname from me is ’28,’” referring to his $28.2 million salary. “Every time I see him, I say: ‘What’s up, 28?’”
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MIAMI – Florida Department of Corrections officers recently asked Bureau of Fire, Arson & Explosives Investigations detectives to figure out how a 26-year-old prison inmate set his cell on fire.
Correctional officers accused Jeronimo Rosario of setting the fire shortly after 11:05 a.m., on Wednesday inside his locked prison cell at the Dade Correctional Institution.
BFAEI detectives reported Rosario likely removed the protective plexiglass cover from his cell’s light fixture, accessed the electric wires, and burned cloth from a towel.
FDOC records show Rosario has been in prison since March 1, 2023 after convictions of grand theft vehicle, fleeing and eluding police, and battery on police/fire.
Before the fire, Rosario was set to be released from prison on Feb. 2. On Thursday, he was facing charges of preventing or obstructing extinguishing a fire and lewd or lascivious exhibition at a correctional facility.
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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Officially, the College Football Playoff field gets announced on Dec. 8 and the first game of the tournament is on Dec. 20.
Those dates don’t really apply to Miami. For the Hurricanes, the CFP may as well start now.
A win this week means Miami’s playoff chances live on and a loss this week means hope is almost certainly over for the Hurricanes. No. 11 Miami (9-1, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 8 CFP) plays host to Wake Forest (4-6, 2-4) on Saturday, now with little room for error after falling to Georgia Tech two weeks ago.
“We’re going to be locked in regardless,” Miami quarterback Cam Ward said. “We’re not really worried about no room for error. Play like that, you mess up. Even when you play good, you’re going to mess up at some point. So, that has no meaning to us.”
If Miami wins Saturday and again next weekend at Syracuse, the Hurricanes will be heading to the Atlantic Coast Conference title game in Charlotte on Dec. 7. But coach Mario Cristobal’s mantra all season has been that no good comes from looking ahead. It has become cliche at Miami: “go 1-0 this week” is the phrase that has been uttered by players and coaches countless times.
“There’s too much going on in the outside world,” Cristobal said. “There’s too much clutter, there’s too much coverage and hype and noise to really do anything else but make sure your guys are focused on the task at hand. … Without a doubt, that’s been emphasized and that’s not going to change.”
There’s much on the line for Wake Forest as well this week. The Demon Deacons aren’t going to the ACC title game or the CFP, but an upset win Saturday and then a victory over Duke next week would get Wake Forest to 6-6 and likely to a bowl. Wake Forest didn’t make a bowl last year, snapping a seven-year streak of reaching one.
Wake Forest quarterback Hank Bachmeier (9) looks to pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against North Carolina, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Chapel Hill, N.C. Credit: AP/Chris Seward
“Our practices are good. They’re lively. Guys are into it,” Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said. “We have a bunch of guys that are in their last year of football and they’re trying to, in the words of Warren Zevon, enjoy every sandwich. And then you have some young guys that are playing for the first time ever that are just excited to be playing.”
Calling Miami and Wake Forest “conference rivals” is a stretch, since the schools haven’t played since 2013. Clawson is in his 11th year at Wake Forest; he’s had more ACC games against Stanford (one) and Cal (one) than he has Miami (zero). The schools next play in 2026 in what’ll be Miami’s first trip to Winston-Salem in 17 years. “I thought about all those years that they were struggling, and then the year we get them they’re 9-1,” Clawson said.
A trio of injured Hurricanes — cornerback Damari Brown, defensive lineman Elijah Alston and offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez — are “close” to returning and could all be game-time decisions Saturday. Brown would be an especially key returnee, since Miami is getting very thin in the secondary. For Wake Forest, starting quarterback Hank Bachmeier is expected to play. He was knocked from last week’s loss to North Carolina because of an issue with his left shoulder.
The Hurricanes will pay tribute to 27 seniors before their final home regular season game, including Ward, WR Xavier Restrepo, K Andres Borregales and ninth-year TE Cam McCormick — now healthy after years and years of dealing with injuries. “I wouldn’t have changed my journey. If I could do it again, I would do it again,” McCormick said.
Wake Forest is 4-0 this season when holding teams under 31 points, 0-6 otherwise. Miami is 9-0 when scoring that many, 0-1 otherwise.
The Hurricanes entered this week leading the nation in yards per game, points per game and yards per play, all a big reason why Ward is considered the Heisman Trophy favorite. He says Miami’s offensive line deserves more credit. “If you don’t have an O-line, you can’t do anything,” Ward said.
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AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard contributed to this report.
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