Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is trying to help the Miami Dolphins pull off a stretch-run miracle and reach the AFC playoffs. But during his press conference this week, the former Alabama standout was asked if he had any Crimson Tide concerns with Lane Kiffin moving from Ole Miss to become LSU’s coach.

“Come on now,” Waddle said. “It’s ‘Roll Tide,’ man, it’s ‘Roll Tide.’ But I got a lot of respect for Lane and what he did over there at Old Miss. He’s going to do good at LSU, for sure. But, you know, it’s family.”

Waddle missed Kiffin at Alabama. Kiffin served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Crimson Tide from 2014 through 2016. Waddle played for Alabama from 2018 through 2020.

Waddle played in two CFP national-championship games with the Tide. Since joining Miami as the sixth selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, Waddle has played in two postseason games.

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The Dolphins are trying to dig out of a hole to get to the playoffs again this season. After winning one of its first seven games, Miami has won three in a row to reach 5-7, which places the Dolphins 11th in a race where seven teams advance to the AFC postseason field.

Miami has five games remaining to catch up, starting with the New York Jets at noon CST Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The Jets have a 3-9 record but have won three of their past five games.

“I think it’s just the NFL,” Waddle said. “You got to take it week by week. No game is guaranteed. Just going and handling our next opponent, our next day of prep, our next everything just with the mindset that we just got to take care of what we got to.”

In Waddle’s rookie season, the Dolphins had a 1-7 record when they ignited to win eight of their final nine games. Waddle had 56 receptions for 602 yards and three touchdowns down the stretch that season, although Miami came up one-half-game short of postseason qualification.

Waddle didn’t want to compare the current season with that comeback campaign.

“I just think we go about it the right way,” Waddle said. “I think we got a lot of guys that come to work with the right mindset to get better each and every day, don’t take no shortcuts. Go out and, you know, hit the practice field hard, and game day, just go out there and play hard, so I just think we got a good group.”

The Dolphins lost eight-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Tyreek Hill to a season-ending knee injury four games into the 2025 campaign. After catching 17 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns in Miami’s first four games, Waddle had 29 receptions for 485 yards and three touchdowns in the next six, putting the wide receiver back on pace for his fourth 1,000-yard season.

But in the past two games, the Washington Commanders and New Orleans Saints appeared to make Waddle a priority in their pass coverage. The Dolphins won both games, Waddle’s contributions were limited to six receptions for 92 yards.

“I think they’re just doing a good job of scheming,” Waddle said, “having different defensive schemes that identify where all our playmakers are at. So I wouldn’t say just any extra attention, but they’re just playing their keys.”