The Miami Dolphins waived former USC wide receiver Tahj Washington on Tuesday, ending his two-year stay in South Florida as the team claimed Ryan Miller off waivers from the New York Giants.

For Trojans fans, the move is a reminder of how quickly NFL opportunity can vanish — and how much Washington still gave USC while he wore cardinal and gold.

Washington arrived in Los Angeles as a Memphis transfer in 2021 and became a reliable piece of Lincoln Riley’s early offense. Over three seasons he caught 163 passes for 2,449 yards and 15 touchdowns in 39 games.

His senior year in 2023 was the peak: 59 receptions, 1,062 yards, and eight scores, a 1,000-yard campaign that showed the burst and yards-after-catch ability that first made him a Pac-12 threat.

He was never the biggest target on the field — listed around 5-foot-10 and 174 pounds — but he was productive, physical after the catch, and a contributor on special teams.

Miami selected him in the seventh round of the 2024 draft, 241st overall. A pre-camp injury then wiped out his rookie year entirely.

In 2025, he appeared in six games, catching three of five targets for 37 yards and losing a fumble. He never carved out a consistent role, even as the Dolphins’ receiver room churned.

This summer he was not a factor, and the club chose a bigger body in Miller instead. That is the NFL’s arithmetic: size, special-teams value, and roster math often outweigh a solid college résumé.

From a USC vantage point, Washington’s story is familiar. Plenty of Trojans have needed a second stop after a first NFL chapter stalled.

He leaves Miami as a free agent if he clears waivers, still only 25, with the same quickness that produced that 2023 season in the Coliseum.

The program that developed him can take pride in the production he delivered on campus.

The next team that gives him a chance will be evaluating a player who already proved he can win in a high-powered college offense.