Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle led the NFL in yards per catch last season, and he credits quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for that.
Waddle told KPRC in Houston that coach Mike McDaniel’s offense emphasizes receivers gaining yards after the catch, and Tagovailoa puts his receivers in a perfect position to accomplish that.
“His ball placement. I think everybody sees it, knowing exactly where to place the ball so his receivers can not just catch it, but catch it and run with it. That’s what makes Tua Tua,” Waddle said.
Waddle has now played with Tagovailoa for two years in the NFL, after previously playing together at Alabama, and he said they have developed a strong rapport.
“It’s great,” Waddle said. “Tua’s a great guy. We’ve got years in with us playing together, so it’s always good being familiar with your quarterback, from the college game to the NFL game. It’s like riding a bike, getting back playing with him. It’s fun. You don’t have to learn quarterback tendencies when you’ve already played with him.”
After averaging just 9.8 yards per catch as a rookie in 2021, Waddle averaged a whopping 18.1 yards per catch in 2022, with Tagovailoa and Waddle showing that their rapport is a great fit in McDaniels’ offense.