The Miami Dolphins may be without one of their top wide receivers for their Week 3 matchup against the Denver Broncos.
Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle has a concussion, head coach Mike McDaniel told the media Monday afternoon. Waddle left Sunday night’s 24-17 win over the New England Patriots in the final minutes after taking a hard blow to his helmet.
Waddle suffered a concussion when he jumped up to catch a pass from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Waddle was tackled by two different Patriots defenders. One caught Waddle on the way up, but the second, Patriots rookie linebacker Marte Mapu, caught him on the way down and guided him with his helmet. The game was flagged by the officials and Mapu was awarded a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.
After the play ended, Waddle was clearly in pain. He pounded his fist on the ground before turning around and lying down on the grass. The Dolphins training staff worked on him for a few minutes, but he eventually walked off the field under his own power. It was a short walk as he went straight to the blue medical tent for more evaluation. Waddle was the Dolphins’ top wide receiver against the Patriots, hauling in four catches for 86 yards. Combined with Week 1, he now has eight receptions for 164 yards.
McDaniel couldn’t provide a timeline for Waddle’s return, but he did share that Waddle has “already made progress” through the NFL’s five-step concussion protocol.
