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Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (83) reacts after the game against the New York Jets at Hard Rock Stadium. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

What Waller Said About His Dazzling Debut and How He Got There

Originally posted on Miami Dolphins on SI
By Jake Mendel | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 12:00 PM ET

Tight end Darren Waller had an immediate impact for the Miami Dolphins offense in his first game since the 2023 season,

Waller caught three of four targets for 27 yards Monday and was a red zone mismatch against the New York Jets, becoming the first player in franchise history to score multiple receiving touchdowns in their Dolphins debut.

“It’s very exciting, just to be out there the whole day,” Waller said after playing 16 snaps against the Jets. “A little bit of fear, a little bit of everything, because I haven't been practicing a ton. I haven't really done a whole lot with the team. It's natural to be like, all right, I got to find a way to get back out there and get into a rhythm and be somebody that this team can rely on and give the team a return on their investment.”

After Waller joined the team in the trade with the New York Giants, the Dolphins took a cautious approach, considering that he unretired in July after not playing in 2024. Through the first four weeks of the regular season, Waller never fully took part in any practice while being listed on the injury report with a hip issue.

Monday night marked Waller’s first trip to the end zone since Oct. 22, 2023, and his two-touchdown performance already ties him for fourth among all NFL tight ends this season after playing just one game.

Despite over 600 days between games, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said he trusted Waller to be a playmaker.

“You don't put in plays or have players play with the expectation of anything but their best,” McDaniel said. “I knew he was fully capable. I just didn't want to overcook it. It inspires me and I think it inspires his teammates. A guy who has a love for the game of football and does the journey to get back.”

Waller was targeted on Miami’s third play from scrimmage, moving the chains with a 14-yard reception on third down. He then capped a 15-play 96-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown reception to give the Dolphins a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter.

The touchdown showcase Waller's athleticism and catch radius as he went up over cornerback Sauce Gardner to catch Tua Tagovailoa's touch pass and then maneuvered his body to get both feet in bounds in the back of the end zone.

“That touchdown was, oddly enough, the same route that was like the first touchdown of my NFL career,” Waller said. “Like across the back line, separating from the defender. But that one was like really high. Shoutout to Tua [Tagovailoa] for trusting that and putting it up there and giving a guy a chance.

“We haven't had that much time to build chemistry, but for him to give me an opportunity like that, I'm really grateful. Fourth down, got-to-have-it situation, and just being where you got to be and go get the football."

Injured Early in Camp

Waller spent most of training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list and didn't participate in any of Miami’s three preseason games. While there wasn’t much information about Waller’s absence, the 2020 Pro Bowl tight end shared some details with The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz on Tuesday.

Darren Waller on his two-touchdown NFL return and the adversity he has faced over the last few years @Rackkwall83 pic.twitter.com/SXE6GkfObr
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) September 30, 2025

“Getting into camp, first two of training after I signed with the Dolphins, I blew my quad out,” Waller said. “I tore my quad from my hip, so it was like ‘what’s going on?’ Trying to piece together what this journey is supposed to be and not having the answers in the moment.

“But having a night like last night, battling through the rehab and the humbling of watching guys go through camp and not being able to be out there, it was just a crazy journey. There have been so many journeys in my life like that.”

The Dolphins had extra time to prepare for the Jets after facing the Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night Football to begin Week 3. Waller said Monday that he might’ve played if it weren’t a short week against the Bills, but he needed some time to develop on-field chemistry with his teammates.

More Than a Playmaker?

Miami dug itself into a major hole with an 0-3 start to the season, and losing All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill further complicates things, but beating the Jets was the first step in the right direction.

Not only was Waller a playmaker on the field, but the ninth-year vet had a strong message for teammates in the locker room after receiving a game ball from coach McDaniel.

A group with resolve

Step into the locker room after our Week 4 win pic.twitter.com/0s1y1I9WSL
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) September 30, 2025

“I couldn’t wait to get out here with all of you,” Waller said. “I see the way that y’all respond when the results weren’t going our way.

“The men I look up to in the world today are not the ones that got everything — that’s got all the money and is flashy — it’s the men that know how to respond when adversity hits.”

McDaniel joked that they had a “new old guy” in Waller, and there is some truth to that after signing a 33-year-old out of retirement. However, it’s not necessarily a bad thing when considering his debut performance.

Having appeared in 87 games and twice exceeding 1,000 receiving yards in his career, Waller now has the opportunity to step into a leadership role on a Dolphins team looking to turn the season around.

“Man, he’s electric, bro,” running back De’Von Achane said. “That’s a big man that can do things that little people can’t do. He went up there and made a play to get us started in the back door and followed it up with another touchdown. He’s going to help us, man. He’s going to help us out a lot.”

“Like we say every week at practice, we always joke with him, like who is he? Just because we haven't seen him play in a while,” wide receiver Jaylen Waddle said. “So him coming out here and showing us he still got it, it's a great look for us."

After missing three games, Waller needed only one to tie Waddle and Achane for the team lead with two receiving touchdowns. He became the fifth player to score multiple touchdowns in their first game with the Dolphins, joining Ricky Williams (Sept. 8, 2002), Robert Edwards (Sept. 8, 2002), Jim Braxton (Oct. 15, 1978), and Abner Hayes (Sept. 17, 1967).

“I’m trying to be as present as possible,” Waller said. “I feel like I know what to do and I prepare hard, and just try to put myself in the right positions to win and if a play is to be made, I make it. If it's not my turn, I'm encouraging my teammates.”