Tight end Darren Waller of the New York Giants declared his retirement from football on Sunday, stating that while he “found a lot of joy” in the game, “the passion has slowly been fading.”
The 31-year-old Waller announced on his YouTube account that he is leaving the game after considering his options for the next several months in a roughly eighteen-minute video.
Waller’s decision to play or not this season was something the Giants had been waiting for. He hadn’t shown up for the team’s offseason drills, and on Tuesday, minicamp is required.
Dealing with an injury sustained in a game a few days prior, Waller described a “very scary” medical episode that occurred last November. After filming a music video, he claimed he was returning home to New Jersey when he started feeling sick. Later, he started “shaking like pretty violently” and had trouble breathing. He claimed to have phoned 911 and spent three and a half days in the hospital.
“When I return to my everyday life, it’s pretty obvious that I nearly lost my life, and I’m not sure if I would have felt happy about how my life was going if I had passed away at that point,” Waller remarked. “I’m doing something that I really enjoy and have had some incredible experiences with, but the passion has been gradually waning.”
As a result of the event, he added, “I’ve decided that I’ll be retiring from the NFL and kind of forced me into a position to re-evaluate.”
Waller, who battled hamstring problems for the previous three years, was only able to play in 12 games during his one and only season with the Giants. He recorded 52 receptions for 552 yards and a score. In 2024, he was expected to earn $10.5 million, deducting $14.1 million from his salary cap. The Giants lose $2.5 million in dead money and save $11.6 million in cap space as a result of his retirement.
After overcoming early drug issues, Waller—who the Ravens selected in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft—became one of the league’s best tight ends. He was suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season for abusing substances, and he was suspended once again for the 2017 season for abusing substances.
Waller has been transparent about his battles with depression, anxiety, and addiction.
“I will always be appreciative of the game of football,” he declared. “If the NFL hadn’t given me the chance to go to rehab and save my life, I wouldn’t be able to have this talk, think things through, or be self-reflective. They also provided me the chance to rebuild my confidence so that I could return to the world and do good deeds, set an example, lead by example, and make a difference not just in my line of work but also in my daily life wherever I went.
“So, man, you have my eternal gratitude.”
Waller concluded his career with 86 games played, 350 catches, 4,124 receiving yards, and 20 touchdowns. Before playing for the Giants in his final season, he was a player for the Ravens and Raiders. The Giants had acquired him in an offseason trade.
The Giants released a statement saying, “As a person and player, we have great respect for Darren.” “We hope for the best for him.”
Waller was signed to the Raiders practice squad after being dismissed by the Ravens prior to the 2018 campaign. He made four appearances and had six receptions.
2019 and 2020 were his breakthrough seasons, with a combined 197 receptions for 2,341 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was chosen for the 2020 Pro Bowl and was going to be an alternate the year before, but a thumb injury kept him from playing.
Giants coach Brian Daboll and Waller texted each other over the summer, but Daboll stated last Thursday that the organization was still awaiting Waller’s decision regarding his playing future.
Waller’s performance in the previous season fell short of expectations for a club that finished 6-11 and missed the playoffs, one year after Daboll guided them to their first postseason appearance since 2016.
Waller wed WNBA player Kelsey Plum, a guard, in March 2023; however, the couple divorced in April.
In case Waller does not return, New York selected Penn State tight end Theo Johnson in the fourth round of the recent draft. Lawrence Cager and Daniel Bellinger are back from the previous season. Veteran Chris Manhertz was also signed by New York in free agency.
