5 greatest moments from Alabama football vs. Ohio State
2. Jaylen Waddle returning for the National Championship
We all saw Jaylen Waddle go down with a tough ankle injury against the Tennessee Volunteers, and we immediately thought that his Alabama football career was over. You have to credit this training staff with getting him ready to see the field in a crimson jersey once again.
Was Jaylen Waddle perfectly healthy? Absolutely not. He only had three catches, and his route tree was severely limited. You could see him limping in warmups, and he was limping after his first catch. Still, he somehow flipped a switch on every snap and brought greatness when he could.
Alabama football didn’t need Jaylen Waddle to play. They would have won without him playing through the pain. He simply could have begun rehabbing and preparing for the NFL Draft. However, he stuck with this team. He put in hours upon hours of work just to give himself a chance to be back on the field with this team. It all paid off in the CFP National Championship.
In a season filled with players and teams opting out, these players bought in. No one stepped away from the spotlight, and everyone was ready for the moment. Jaylen Waddle’s career numbers won’t break any records, but he has one of the best stories in the history of Alabama football. In what was likely his last collegiate game, he went out on top. He only had a few catches in this game, but he is partially why Alabama aced this test.