23 February 2024 , 02:00
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Tyreek Hill has hit back at claims that Jaylen Waddle could be traded by the Miami Dolphins during the NFL offseason.
Hill took time out from his holiday to stand up for the pass catcher after rumours started swirling on social media. These whispers about a possible trade came after Mike Tannenbaum, a former chief at the Dolphins, made some comments on ESPN.
He suggested a swap where Waddle would go to the Kansas City Chiefs and safety Trent McDuffie would come the other way. On the show 'Get Up', he said that if this trade happened, Waddle might get the chance to be the top receiver in Missouri. In his third season with the Dolphins in 2023, Waddle caught 72 passes for 1,014 yards and scored four touchdowns.
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Tannenbaum stirred things up when he said: "If you're Miami, you're probably going to cut Xavien Howard as a cap casualty. So you get Trent McDuffie, who is a great young player. That's for Miami. You still have a great receiver in Tyreek Hill.
"For Kansas City, you need a No. 1 receiver. Waddle really has a chance to be a No. 1. The other neat thing about this trade is it's really like the second half of the Tyreek Hill trade, which you could argue was also a win/win."
ESPN's Jeff Darlington seemed to agree with Tannenbaum, suggesting a trade might be on the cards. He said: "It should be easier to find a No. 2 receiver to compliment Hill than a second elite cornerback."
Hill's close relationship with Jaylen Waddle on and off the field was plain to see (Getty)But Hill wasn't afraid to join in the debate. He stood up for his teammate and criticised those calling for him to be traded. Hill wrote on X: "I'm all the way in Greece right now and I get on Twitter to see people talking crazy about Dolphin football."
"My boy Waddle is the future, he is better than I was at this point in his career and for people in this fan base to want to trade him is ludicrous," Hill continued, before closing out his rant by saying: "Him and Tua (Tagovailoa) was special before me and will be special after I leave."
His words seemed to get some fans on the wide receiver's side. One fan replied: "The real fans don't want to trade him!! He's the future for us," and another said: "Those saying it ain't fans. They are looking for clicks. Waddle is getting an amazing mentor."
But not everyone was swayed by his praise, as one Dolphins supporter confessed they wouldn't mind if Waddle was traded later on. This fan, who wasn't happy with Tua Tagovailoa's performance either, said: "We just think we can get something good for him like maybe a fourth round pick. Maybe with that fourth rounder we can get a real QB."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.