Darren Waller Mulls Retirement As Giants Minicamp Gets Underway

Ten-year NFL TE Darren Waller is expected to retire, and an official announcement should be next week.

Waller, the second-year New York Giants pass-catcher, did not make an appearance at any portion of voluntary training camp. With the mandatory minicamp approaching next week, he stated on Instagram Live that he would decide on his career shortly.

It has been a challenging year for Waller. Last season, he only played in 12 games for the Giants as he battled a hamstring injury while only scoring one touchdown. Off the field, he and WNBA star Kelsey Plum filed for divorce just a year after tying the knot. Waller released a song and music video last week about his relationship with Plum, which sparked speculation about his investment in football.

Waller’s career began with the Baltimore Ravens, but his playing time almost ended after being suspended for a year while battling drug addiction in his third season. He received a fresh start with the Oakland Raiders in 2018, and after playing sparingly, he burst onto the scene a year later.  The TE totaled over 1,000 yards in 2019 and 2020 and was named to the Pro Bowl. After two more seasons with the Raiders, the Giants traded a 2023 third-round pick for the tight end a year after he signed a 3-year $51 million extension with now Las Vegas.

In the fourth round, New York made its stance clear on Waller when drafting Theo Johnson, another tight end out of Penn State. It was the second pass-catcher the Giants took, along with WR Malik Nabers in the first round, as they attempted to shore up the skill positions around QB Daniel Jones. According to ESPN, they would be pleasantly surprised if Waller returned to them this offseason and are planning their team with the thought process that he will retire.

Article by Jordan Silversmith