5x Pro Bowler Explains Why Darren Waller Unretiring to Join Tua Tagovailoa Is a Fantastic Opportunity for the TE

From Stefon Diggs’ mysterious pink substance shenanigans to Shedeur Sanders’ unimaginable draft slide, the 2025 NFL offseason has already seen its fair share of shockers. And Darren Waller chose to keep the streak alive with a U-turn on his retirement decision last night.

After walking away from the game a year ago due to burnout, injury, and emotional exhaustion, few expected to see the former Pro Bowl tight end return to the NFL, let alone to a new team. But that’s exactly what’s happening, as Waller is heading to South Florida for a fresh start with the Miami Dolphins.

The deal, first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, sees the Dolphins acquire Waller from the Giants in exchange for a conditional 2026 sixth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-rounder. It’s a low-risk, high-reward swing from Miami, especially considering they just cleared out their tight end room by trading Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh.

But in veteran Dolphins left tackle Terron Armstead’s eyes, this move is more than just a roster swap. It’s a potential home run. Speaking candidly about Waller’s fit with the team on the latest edition of Nightcap, the 5-time Pro Bowler explained that the Dolphins might be the exact right environment for Waller to rediscover his love for the game.

“Darren is a player that is extremely passionate. He’s been through a lot, and football wasn’t fun for him because of his environment,” Armstead said. “He didn’t have the support system that he felt he needed to continue playing or playing at the level he’s accustomed to.”

And that support system? It’s definitely in Miami because Waller reunites with offensive coordinator Frank Smith, the same coach who guided him during his dominant stretch with the Raiders. From 2019 to 2022, Waller posted over 3,000 receiving yards and was regarded as a top-three tight end league-wide, his best seasons coming under Smith’s guidance.

“It cannot be minimized,” Armstead emphasized. “If you can add the Darren Waller who’s in love with the game… the All-Pro talent… ultimately, the Dolphins win the trade.”

Veteran journalist Omar Kelly took that idea a step further in his column for the Miami Herald, arguing that this move is about more than football. It’s about emotional repair, redemption, and trust.

Kelly pointed out that Waller’s return isn’t just rooted in athletic opportunity. It’s also about reconnecting with someone who saw him through his darkest moments. Smith was Waller’s tight ends coach during his earliest days of sobriety. He knew what motivated the TE then, so Miami’s gamble hinges on the hope that he can do it again.

“Forget about talent being the driving force for employment,” Kelly wrote. “It’s about who you know, and who vouches for you.”

Indeed, Darren Waller’s battles off the field are no secret — from substance addiction to divorce and a painful relapse into isolation during his stint with the Giants.

As Waller himself told Men’s Health, football became more about being seen and validated than about passion, a clarity that only came during his year away from the game, which included therapy and self-work.

Now, he gets a fresh chapter, with Tua Tagovailoa, in a high-octane Miami offense, reunited with a coach who believes in him. And at 33, with little to prove but plenty to gain, Waller may finally be set up to succeed, not just on the field, but within himself.

If this works, both sides win big, especially Tagovailoa, who himself is under the scanner, as he enters what many believe is the do-or-die season for him.