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Dolphins' Darren Waller Immediately Making Impact With New Team

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Douglas Santo | Last updated Jul 23, 2025 1:30 PM ET

Tight end Darren Waller decided to come out of retirement this offseason to be traded to the Miami Dolphins. Now, the Dolphins will look for a ninth-year NFL veteran to be their No. 1 tight end in 2025.

The Dolphins' training camp gets underway this week, and on Tuesday, the players spoke to the media for the first time since minicamp.

Waller hasn't been around his new teammates long, but he's already making an impact, and one player in particular is excited to see what Waller brings to the team after spending multiple seasons with him on the Las Vegas Raiders.

"You know, I was thinking about this the other day when I was driving in, like, I don't know if anybody really is ready for what he can do on the field, man," Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold said. "A lot of tight ends impact the game in a number of different ways, but that's one dude where I've been in game plan meetings with him, and he's getting to get the ball 15-20 times a game, and he's going to take it over, and he does."

"I think that's a rare quality and a feat, and he's going to have his own challenges coming back, obviously, but man, he's a great human being. He can take over games when he's humming, when he's motivated, when he's rolling, and it's been fun to see him working this off-season so far."

New Dolphins TE Darren Waller says he came to Miami with “a full cup.” Spent time away from game working on himself as a man. Says sobriety is more than just substance & he’s committed.

“A lot of times the way I was walking and was preaching wasn’t the way I was practicing.” pic.twitter.com/kGJfjmCh9r
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) July 22, 2025

Ingold spent three years with Waller on the Raiders, including the tight end's back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. Ingold watched Waller make the Pro Bowl in 2021 when he caught over 100 passes for nearly 1,200 yards.

Although Waller's addition to the Dolphins could be huge for the offense if he can return to his Pro Bowl level of play, Ingold also opened up on the tight end's leadership and vulnerability that developed a tight friendship.

"I'm really excited for you guys to see him out of practice and get to know him. Unbelievable human. One of one, very unique. I remember my rookie year, he talked to - you know the rookies come in, you have the symposium, and he shared his story," Ingold said. "He was two, three years in the league, and the amount of vulnerability like that was something where I knew if I were ever in a leadership position, I want to be like Darren Waller.

"He impacted our lives so much from that one conversation. It's been great to have a friendship ever since. You guys are going to be really blessed to hang out with him, spend time with him, get to know him and watch him play some ball."

The Dolphins' culture has been the talk of the team all offseason, and the addition of Waller could help bring that culture into shape for 2025.

Dolphins' star receiver Tyreek Hill also gave his thoughts on Miami's addition of the veteran tight end.

"He's going to be great for us," Hill said. "His presence was felt immediately, once he stepped into the locker-room... I think it's great he's on our team."

It will be a journey back to football for Waller, as he's been out of the NFL for over a year. But his presence in the locker room seems to already be making an impact. Now, he has training camp to get ready for the season to make his presence felt on the field.

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

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