Jaylen Waddle opens up on decision to play in National Championship Game
By SDS Staff
Published:
Jaylen Waddle’s injury in the Alabama-Tennessee game was described as season-ending, but it didn’t keep him out of the Crimson Tide’s final postseason. The junior wideout managed to return for the National Championship Game against Ohio State in a limited role, logging 3 catches for 34 yards.
Waddle opened up Thursday about what went into that decision when he took questions from the media after declaring for the 2021 NFL Draft.
When Waddle heard he had a chance to play, he said he was set on suiting up.
“To be honest, when they told me I was gonna have a chance to play, I already had it in my mind to play,” Waddle told reporters. “It was just great to get back out there with the team and just really do it one last time and go out the right way.”
Few would have blamed Waddle for missing one more game to avoid injury risk. The play-making wide receiver, however, wasn’t worried.
“Nah, I wasn’t worried about getting injured,” Waddle said. “I think if you worry about getting injured, that’s how you get injured. I wasn’t worried about that, I was just trying to win.”
When asked about potential Pro Day or NFL Scouting Combine workouts, Waddle deferred saying that was a question for his doctors, but noted, “I know I’m ahead of schedule.”
Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.
