Darren Waller Comes Out of Retirement to Join the Dolphins
Tight end Darren Waller has decided to come out of retirement to join the Miami Dolphins, according to his agents.
The Dolphins will finalize a trade with the New York Giants, who held Waller’s rights, sending a sixth-round pick from 2026 and in return will receive Waller along with a conditional seventh-round pick from 2027.
Waller, 32, was one of the league’s best tight ends in 2019 and 2020, accumulating 197 receptions, 2,341 yards, and 12 touchdowns with the Las Vegas Raiders. In 2022, he was rewarded with a three-year, $51 million extension. However, he was traded to the Giants the following year, and after one season, he announced his retirement.
Waller told people close to him that he “missed football” and that he was returning for the love of the game.
This move represents the second significant trade in two days for Dolphins general manager Chris Grier, who on Monday sent cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The arrival of Waller covers the need left by Smith as the team’s primary pass catcher, although the operation carries risks.
Waller announced his retirement last June, mentioning that a health problem he experienced in November 2023 gave him clarity about his life.
Waller has been open about his struggles with addiction, his sobriety, and how rehabilitation after an overdose in 2017 helped him change his life. He has committed to using his story to help others.
After signing his extension, Waller accumulated 940 yards in two seasons and missed 21 games in the last three seasons. He is familiar with the Dolphins’ offensive coordinator, Frank Smith, who coached the Raiders’ tight ends from 2018 to 2020, during Waller’s best seasons in the NFL.
