Former Ravens TE Completes NFL Comeback

Waller's retirement announcement came as a bit of a surprise. He proved to still have some good football left in him while recording 52 catches for 552 yards and one touchdown with the Giants in 2023.

However, Waller battled injuries throughout his NFL career and 2023 proved no different as he was limited to just 12 games with a hamstring injury. Maybe a year off was all Waller needed to get fully healthy and get his determination back to keep playing.

He began his NFL career as the No. 204 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Ravens. Waller was drafted as a wide receiver but converted to tight end in his second season.

Unfortunately, Waller faced some off-the-field issues early in his professional career. He was suspended for the first four games of the 2016 NFL season for violating the league's substance-abuse policy and for the entire 2017 season for violating it again.

Waller was reinstated by the league in 2018 after completing a rehabilitation program and was signed by the Oakland Raiders off the Ravens' practice squad.

It didn't take long for Waller to establish himself as one of the best tight ends in the NFL after that. From 2019-20, he recorded 197 catches for 2,341 yards and 12 touchdowns and earned himself a three-year, $51 million contract extension that made him the highest-paid tight end in the league.

Waller was never the same player, though. Over the next couple of years, he played in just 20 games while dealing with injuries. The Dolphins are hoping that doesn't happen again in 2025.

The 32-year-old has recorded 350 receptions for 4,124 yards and 20 touchdowns in his career.