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Darren Waller comes out of retirement to play for AFC team

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 1:59 PM ET

Former Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller has decided to come out of retirement to play for a new team.

Waller has been traded from the New York Giants to the Miami Dolphins, according to multiple reports.

The Dolphins have agreed to send a conditional 2026 sixth-round draft pick to New York in exchange for Waller’s rights and a 2027 seventh-round pick.

Waller will sign a new 1-year deal with the Dolphins that is worth up to $5 million.

Trade: Dolphins are trading a conditional 2026 sixth to the New York Giants for a 2027 seventh-round pick and Darren Waller.

Waller is coming out of retirement after agreeing to a one-year deal with the Dolphins worth up to $5 million, per Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 1, 2025

Waller retired prior to last season. He later suggested that he decided he wanted to call it a career early on in the 2023 season because he was unhappy with the role he was playing for the Giants.

The 32-year-old Waller also had a tough year away from the field in 2023. He was hospitalized with what he deemed a “near-death” experience and later divorced his wife, WNBA star Kelce Plum.

Waller finished with 52 catches for 552 yards and a touchdown in his lone season with the Giants. He played for the Las Vegas Raiders and Baltimore Ravens prior to that. Waller had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Raiders in 2019 and 2020. He made the Pro Bowl the latter year.

The Dolphins traded tight end Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday as part of a deal that also saw Jalen Ramsey and Minkah Fitzpatrick swap teams. Smith had a career year in 2024 with 88 catches for 884 yards and 8 touchdowns, so Waller should have plenty of opportunities to make plays in Miami’s offense if he is still in football shape.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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