Tight end Darren Waller was an expensive mistake made by the New York Giants. The team traded for him in 2023, sending a third-round draft pick to Las Vegas and taking on the remainder of his three-year, $51 million contract for just one suboptimal season of service.
Waller retired after the 2023-24 season, ending what was once a promising and successful career at just age 31. Though most fans were curious why he would make such a decision, he never revealed any specifics until now.
In an interview with "The Side You Don't See Podcast" on Tuesday, Waller spoke on the specific instance during the season where it finally dawned on him that his playing days were truly over.
Darren Waller reveals which Giants game caused him to retire from football
The now-32 year old said it was New York's game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football (Week 6 - Oct. 15, 2023) that triggered a serious introspective conversation.
“It was in the first quarter of the game," Waller said. “We were running like this counter-lead running play, and I’m kind of like leading through the hole like I’m a fullback. And the play is working, but I sit down on the sideline after a drive where we ran it like three times and I’m like, ‘What the f**k am I doing with my life? I’m out here playing fullback. I don’t even want to do this s**t anymore.’”
New York fell short of a major upset 14-9 when then-quarterback Tyrod Taylor's pass from the one-yard line to Waller fell short with no time remaining.
THE BILLS WIN #NYGvsBUF pic.twitter.com/uLwamFkT4N
— NFL (@NFL) October 16, 2023
“I’m just like looking at the moon,” Waller said of his decision to keep his career-ending thoughts to himself. “It’s like early first quarter, second quarter. Nobody else would even really know that I’m thinking this. But I’m on the sideline like, ‘Yup, I’m going to finish this year to the best of my ability, but I’m definitely done playing after this year.’”
Waller missed five games that year with a hamstring injury and also due to a hospitalization for what he later called a near-death experience. He only scored one total touchdown for the Giants.
Over a year removed from his NFL departure, Waller is pursuing podcasting and a rap music career. He recently released a new music video where he performs one of his newest songs in front of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.