Wake says sacrifices have been worth it

DAVIE — Cameron Wake stepped to the podium after the Miami Dolphins’ organized-team-activities session on Wednesday and started joking with reporters.

He laughed at the suggestion that the media would ask him about his age and his diet.

“Oh, new questions, huh?” Wake smiled.

The Dolphins defensive end has been around long enough to hear that line of questioning more than he would have liked. He’s been around long enough to hear, and see, a lot of things.

Wake, 36, is the longesttenured player on the Dolphins. He’s seen five head coaches, six starting quarterbacks, two logo changes and a stadium renovation. He’s heard doubts about his health and the size of his contracts, questions about his maniacal eating habits — he doesn’t drink alcohol or eat anything approaching unhealthy — and he’s heard astonishment at his ability to prove people wrong time and time again.

It’s a journey that has cost Wake a lot. Whether it be countless hours of physical and mental preparation or the ability to enjoy a beer every once in a while, Wake has given up so much to get to this point.

“Every year I go through and I kind of get an opportunity to see the young guys, see the new guys and get different stories from different guys, whether it’s free agents or first-round picks, whatever it may be,” Wake said.

“And, you know, you can’t help but to reminisce back on your own, reflect. And every year I tell the rookies, like, ‘You’re already in a better position than I was when I was at the same point in my career long ago. So cherish the moment. Trust me. I don’t care if it’s South Florida sun, fishing, golfing, girls, partying, whatever that thing is — sacrifice for now, and put everything you can into this game, and it’ll reward you tenfold.’ ”

Wake’s career is proof that the kind of discipline he’s talking about can work. He doesn’t take cheat days because he fears that a day off for him is a day that somebody else is getting better.

After five Pro Bowlsand coming back from tearing his Achilles tendon a few years ago, Wake can say that giving up beers and eating a clean diet was worth it, and it would be hard to deny him.