Caleb Harris
After months of thinking about retirement, Darren Waller has finally made a decision. Days before the start of the New York Giants’ mandatory minicamp, the former Pro Bowl tight end has informed the team that he is officially hanging up his cleats, according to CBS Sports Leads NFL Insider Jonathan Jones.
“The passion (for football) is slowly disappearing”, Waller admitted in a video statement he disclosed on Sunday, explaining that a medical episode during the 2023 season “forced me to re-evaluate” his priorities on and off the field.
“(It’s) a lot of money (to leave behind),” Waller said of his decision to retire. “But I feel like I’ve spent most of my life doing what I ‘should’ be doing… I’ve pleased people all my life… This is an opportunity for me to take back the power in my life, to start making choices for myself and take control… I’m not disappearing from the face of the Earth, I’m changing, I’m going wherever God is taking me next. But this journey will always be something I cherish.
The Giants released the following statement regarding Waller’s decision: “We have great respect for Darren as a person and a player. We wish him nothing but the best.”
Waller, 31, had not participated in the Giants’ voluntary offseason schedule at this point, admitting to reporters that he was undecided about his NFL future just a year into his tenure at Big Blue.
“It’s really the idea of signing up for another journey,” Waller told The Athletic in May. “It’s hard, it’s long, it’s demanding. And if you’re not fully involved in every detail of the process, it’s going to be difficult. I feel like at the end of the day, you’re doing a job for the guys. It’s a disservice if you’re not fully involved So those are the types of things I’m taking into consideration.
Acquired from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a third-round draft pick last offseason, Waller has played in just 12 games for the Giants in 2023, missing five due to injury. While he has been productive when healthy, catching 52 passes for 552 yards, durability issues have plagued him since his time in the silver and black. Originally a sixth-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2014, Waller twice surpassed 90 receptions and 1,100 yards as the Raiders’ top target, only to miss a combined 14 games from 2021-2022.
His best NFL season came in 2020, when he led all tight ends with 107 receptions, approaching 1,200 receiving yards and scoring a career-high nine touchdowns. He is also known for his recovery off the field, achieving sobriety from drugs and alcohol following several NFL suspensions early in his career.
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