Table of Contents
Former Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller retired from the NFL at age 31 after just one season with the New York Giants.
Waller informed the Giants of his decision before the start of his minicamp, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Giants confirmed his retirement in a statement Sunday afternoon.
“We have great respect for Darren as a person and player,” the statement says. “We wish him nothing but the best.”
New York’s mandatory minicamp begins Tuesday. The Giants traded a third-round pick to acquire Waller from the Las Vegas Raiders before last season.
Waller: The medical situation preceded the call to retire
Waller addressed his decision in a YouTube video posted Sunday afternoon. She mentioned her recent divorce from WNBA All-Star Kelsey Plum and described a scary off-field medical situation last season that “forced me to be in a position to re-evaluate.”
Waller did not explain what the medical condition was, but described a scene that led to a midseason hospital stay while he was out of the team with a hamstring injury suffered in Week 8 against the Jets.
“Last season in New Jersey, we played the Jets on Oct. 29,” Waller said. “I got hurt in that game. The next week, the Giants were playing the Raiders in Las Vegas… I started to feel the fever coming on… The fever starts to rise, I start to feel chills and stuff. Like that. By the time I pull into the parking lot of my condo and get out of the car, I’m shaking pretty violently, like uncontrollably.”
Waller said he “couldn’t breathe” in his bed the next morning and called 911. He said paramedics responded and he ended up spending three and a half days in a hospital.
“It was pretty clear that I almost lost my life,” Waller said. “I don’t know if I really feel like if he had died I would have felt great about how my life was going.”
Waller did not share her diagnosis, but went on to say that her passions in life had changed.
“The worst possible thing for… someone like me would be to think that I’m supposed to pick a lane in life, a path, and follow it like most of the world does,” Waller continued.
The giants were prepared for Waller’s decision
Waller, a veteran of eight seasons in the NFL, had reportedly been contemplating retirement. throughout the off season. His decision was no surprise to the Giants, who selected Penn State tight end Theo Johnson in the fourth round of April’s NFL Draft. The Giants surely expected more than one season of his services when they acquired him in 2023.
Waller addressed his status on social media on June 3 amid reports that he had been contemplating retirement. He then said that she still had to make a decision.
Waller started 12 games for the Giants in 2023, totaling 52 receptions for 522 yards and a touchdown. He previously played six seasons with the Raiders and made the Pro Bowl after the 2020 season. He played his first two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens starting in 2015.
What’s next for Waller, Giants?
Waller continued to be a productive starter in the NFL and would have projected atop the Giants’ depth chart had he remained with the team. He released a music video in May depicting his relationship and marital breakdown with Plum. The couple announced their divorce in early May after a year of marriage. It is unclear whether Waller intends to pursue music further.
With Waller out, third-year tight end Daniel Bellinger projects as New York’s No. 1 tight end next season. Bellinger started 13 games last season, tallying 25 receptions for 255 yards. Johnson and Former Philadelphia Eagles starter Jack Stoll You could also compete for departure time.
By Spotrac, Waller’s retirement frees up $11.6 million in cap space for next season. It will account for salary cap hits of $2.45 million in 2024 and $4.9 million in 2025.
