Impressive comeback in the NFL, Darren Waller comes out of retirement and signs with Dolphins

In a sensational turn of events, the Miami Dolphins are set to sign Darren Waller from the New York Giants, bringing him out of a retirement that he only announced in June this year.

The 32-year-old tight end is a low-risk move for the Dolphins at this stage of his career, but his experience could be key as they look to challenge at the top next season. It is the latest move in a busy period for the Dolphins, who sent Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday.

As part of the deal, the Miami Dolphins are giving up a 2026 sixth-round pick for Waller, and will also get a conditional 2027 seventh-round pick in return.

‘I’m definitely done playing after this year’

“I knew I was retiring when we played in Buffalo,” Waller said to Michael Schwartz of WKBW when talking about the process of giving up the sport. “It was a game where it was really controversial because one of the guys held me at the end, and they didn’t call it. It was in the first quarter of the game, we were running like this counter-lead running play, and I’m kind of like leading through the hole like I’m a fullback. And the play is working, but I sit down on the sideline after a drive where we ran it like three times, and I’m like, ‘What the f--- am I doing with my life? I’m out here playing fullback. I don’t even wanna do this shit anymore.’

“Nobody else would really even know that I’m thinking this, but I’m on the sideline like, ‘Yep. I’m going to finish this year to the best of my ability, but I’m definitely done playing after this year. And that was the only time I played in Buffalo.”

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Waller sat out last season but prior to that, he played 12 games for the New York Giants, recording 52 receptions on 74 targets for 552 yards and 1 touchdown. His average of 10.6 yards per reception was among the top 15 for tight ends that season. CBS cite that he “put together back-to-back 1,100-yard campaigns beginning in 2019, and led all tight ends with 107 catches for 1,196 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns in 2020.”

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