The Miami Dolphins just pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the year. They got Darren Waller to come back from retirement and play for them. The 32-year-old tight end had been sitting out football for a whole year, but Miami changed his mind.
Here’s what happened. The Dolphins gave the New York Giants a sixth-round pick in 2026. In return, they got Waller plus a seventh-round pick for 2027. Waller signed a new deal with Miami for one year that could pay him up to $5 million if he hits his goals.
This whole thing started because Miami traded away their main tight end, Jonnu Smith, to Pittsburgh just one day earlier. They needed someone fast to fill that spot. Waller was the perfect answer, even though nobody saw it coming.
The crazy part is that Waller told the Giants he would only come back to play for Miami. No other team. That tells you how much he wanted to be a Dolphin and how much he likes what Miami does on offense.
Waller quit football last summer after a really tough time with the Giants. He only played 12 games and caught 52 passes for 552 yards. But the real problem wasn’t his numbers. It was how they used him. Instead of letting him catch passes, they made him block like a regular lineman most of the time.
He got so frustrated during a game against Buffalo that he basically decided right there on the field that he was done. Waller said he was running blocking plays “like a fullback” and just thought to himself, “What am I doing with my life?” That’s when he knew he wanted out.
This is totally different from when Waller was at his best. Back in 2019 and 2020 with the Las Vegas Raiders, he was one of the scariest tight ends in football. He caught 90 passes for 1,145 yards in 2019. The next year was even better – 107 catches for 1,196 yards and nine touchdowns. That got him picked for the Pro Bowl.
But then injuries started piling up. Waller missed 21 games over three seasons and couldn’t stay healthy. He never got close to those big numbers again. His whole career adds up to 350 catches for 4,124 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Similar Posts
The health stuff got really scary too. In November 2023, Waller ended up in the hospital for three and a half days. He couldn’t breathe properly and couldn’t even get up to use the bathroom or feed himself. He never said exactly what was wrong, but it was bad enough that it made him think about retiring.
Waller has been through a lot in his career. He missed an entire season in 2017 because he got suspended for substance abuse problems. But he worked hard to get clean and has been helping other people who face the same struggles.
So why does Miami make sense for him? The Dolphins have Mike McDaniel as their coach, and he’s really good at getting the ball to his best players. With Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle already scaring defenses, Waller could get some easier matchups.
Plus, Miami’s offensive coordinator Frank Smith already knows Waller really well. Smith coached him during those amazing years with the Raiders from 2018 to 2020. They know how to work together and get the most out of Waller’s skills.
Right now, Miami doesn’t have much at tight end. They’ve got Pharaoh Brown, who’s been around the league for eight years but isn’t a big threat. Julian Hill is in his third year but hasn’t done much yet. The rest are young guys who haven’t proven anything.
Waller will join the team when training camp starts on July 22. He’s going to need some time to get back in football shape since he’s been away for a year. Nobody knows if his body can still handle playing a full season.
This trade is basically Miami taking a smart gamble. They’re not paying much money, and if Waller stays healthy and motivated, they could have a really good tight end. If it doesn’t work out, they didn’t lose much trying.
The Dolphins needed help at tight end after trading Smith, and they found a creative solution. Whether Waller can turn back the clock and play like he did a few years ago is the big question everyone wants answered.
