Darren Waller Ends Maiden Season in Miami on IR

Darren Waller Ends Maiden Season in Miami on IR

For a time leading up to this season, the Miami Dolphins had a huge hole at the tight end position after it traded Jonnu Smith — who was on the heels of a career year in the 2024 campaign — to the Pittsburgh Steelers. A lot of people thought Miami found an optimal replacement for him in Darren Waller, who agreed to a one-year deal with the Dolphins not long after they made the Smith trade.

However, Waller’s maiden campaign in Miami will ultimately go down as a disappointment — but not because he didn’t produce. In fact, he gave the Dolphins some standout performances, as he amassed 40-plus receiving yards on four separate occasions. Maybe the defining showing of his season came when he totaled 78 receiving yards and scored a touchdown in Miami’s October loss to the Carolina Panthers.

Rather, it was the injury bug and some unfortunate injury luck that held him back from a great season in his first as a Dolphin. First, he went down with a pectoral injury in Miami’s blowout Week 7 loss to the Cleveland Browns and proceeded to sit four games. Fast forward to the current day, and the Dolphins have placed him on injured reserve with a groin injury, meaning he’s a scratch for Sunday’s season finale against the New England Patriots.

All in all, he was held to just nine appearances in his first season following his decision to come out of retirement, and he ends his 2025 campaign on injured reserve.

Fans should expect tight end Greg Dulcich to once again play a large role in Miami’s offensive attack on Sunday with Waller down for the count. Dulcich, a former third-round pick back in the 2022 NFL Draft, is on the heels of a season-high 58-yard showing in the Dolphins’ win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.