After spending eight seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders, and New York Giants, former tight end Darren Waller announced his retirement from the NFL this offseason. Waller, 31, was just one year into a three-year, $51 million contract extension.
Waller recently shared with the media what he will miss most about being an NFL player.
Recently, Waller made an appearance on Maxx Crosby’s podcast, The Rush, where he expressed his regret at not having been able to go out with the guys and experience the “shared emotion” of finally seeing things work out after “going through so many difficult things” like workouts and meetings.
It’s a distinct viewpoint that can’t be duplicated in any other field of endeavor.
After being traded to the Giants before the 2018 season, Waller witnessed a decline in his output over the next three years as his injuries began to mount up. In just 12 games, he finished with 552 yards and one touchdown.
He participated in all 16 games in 2019 and 2020, averaging well over 1,100 receiving yards per year with 90 and 107 receptions, respectively.
In recent interviews, Waller disclosed that his love for the game had been gradually waning, that the injury fears had become too hard to bear, and that if he wasn’t fully committed, he would be failing his teammates.
Waller seems content in his conversation with Crosby, despite the fact that he may have hung up his cleats earlier than most anticipated.
