The New York Giants may finally be finding success with Jaxson Dart at quarterback, but the past few years have been turbulent. The team lost superstar running back Saquon Barkley to free agency, parted ways with Daniel Jones, and saw star tight end Darren Waller abruptly retire in 2024.
Waller has since returned to the field and is now thriving with the Miami Dolphins, much like Jones and Barkley are excelling with their respective teams, raising questions about what went wrong in New York. In a recent interview, Waller offered some insight, revealing that his sudden retirement was, in part, forced by his time with the Giants, albeit unintentionally.
Darren Waller Reveals the Giants’ Role in Forcing His Unexpected Exit from NFL
In an interview with Jordan Schultz on The Schultz Report, Waller revealed that how the Giants used him played a major role in his decision to retire
“I think that day I was being a little extra,” Waller said. “It was more so the concept we were running that day, which is usually a play that a fullback runs. The Giants didn’t technically didn’t have me playing fullback, but that concept is usually built for fullback-type bodies.”
“There was other things I was going through in my life as well that was making me feel like I need to step away, which I feel like was a wise decision. … I don’t really feel like I was being put in position for what made me unique to shine. That’s what the frustration was probably coming from more,” he added.
Waller was initially drafted by the Ravens in 2015, but he struggled to find his footing in Baltimore, catching just 12 passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns. In 2017, he missed the entire season due to a suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
He eventually established himself with the Raiders before being traded to the New York Giants in 2023. During his lone season in New York, Waller recorded 52 catches for 552 yards and a touchdown. However, being utilized more as a fullback than a traditional tight end limited his ability to showcase his unique skills and contributed to his decision to step away from football.
Compounding the situation, Waller also suffered a hamstring injury during the season. In June 2024, he announced his retirement, but reversed it a year later by signing with the Dolphins in a trade that saw Miami send a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Giants in exchange for Waller and a 2027 seventh-round pick.
Waller made his debut for the Dolphins in Week 4, and with Miami using him the way he wants, he has excelled. Through three games, he has hauled in 10 receptions for 117 yards and four touchdowns, helping Miami rank 13th in PFSN’s Offensive Impact metric.