Recent Darren Waller Quote Is Pretty Telling After Giants-Dolphins Trade

The veteran tight end is back in the NFL just a couple weeks after some interesting comments on a podcast.

Waller caught 52 passes for 552 yards and a touchdown in his lone season with the Giants. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

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Darren Waller is making a comeback to the NFL.

Thirteen months after informing the New York Giants that he planned to retire from the NFL, Waller announced he is returning to the league, and on Tuesday, he was traded along with a conditional seventh-round pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a sixth-round pick.

Waller is far from the first NFL player to come out of retirement after stepping away from the gridiron for a full season. Marshawn Lynch, Ricky Williams, Deion Sanders and Reggie White are just a few notable players to do so over the last 25 years. But what is most surprising is Waller’s comments on a podcast just a few weeks ago.

Speaking to host Michael Schwartz on The Side You Don’t See podcast in June, Waller provided more detail about what went into his decision to retire from the NFL. That decision apparently became clear to Waller during the Giants’ 14–9 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 15, 2023.

“It was in the first quarter of the game,” Waller said. “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 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 want to do this s— anymore.’”

Ex-Giants TE Darren Waller decided he was going to retire during a game against the Bills in October of 2023:

“I sit down on the sideline after a drive where we ran it like three times, and I’m like, ‘What the f–k am I doing with my life? I’m out here playing fullback. I don’t… pic.twitter.com/CIZ2WAKL0x

— SleeperGiants (@SleeperGiants) June 18, 2025

That certainly didn’t sound like a player who wants to return to the gridiron anytime soon.

But just a few weeks later, Waller is back in the NFL—indicating that his role with the Giants was likely a big factor in his decision to hang up the cleats. Waller likely becomes Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s top receiving option at tight end.

Jonnu Smith, who was dealt to the Steelers on Monday as part of the Jalen Ramsey-Minkah Fitzpatrick blockbuster trade, had a career year in that same role with the Dolphins last season. In 17 games, Smith caught a career-high 88 passes for 884 yards and eight touchdowns.

Waller certainly is hoping he’ll see more targets coming his way in 2025—and not that “fullback” role he endured with the Giants.

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TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor’s in communication from St. John’s University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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