Like a dramatic plot twist on a reality TV show, there's a returning character to the NFL.
Former Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants tight end Darren Waller is coming out of retirement a year after citing medical concerns and lack of motivation as reasons for bailing on Big Blue. He was traded from New York to the Miami Dolphins for a sixth-round pick in 2026 on Tuesday.
Waller, 32, claims he "missed football" and is returning out of a love for the game, per ESPN's Jordan Raanan. That development has Giants fans rolling their eyes, especially with the less than stellar performance he had in his short tenure as a member of New York.
He recorded 552 receiving yards and just a lone touchdown in 12 games played during the 2023 season.
Giants fans rightly sound off on Darren Waller's surprise return to the NFL
Waller's return to the NFL after such an unceremonious and rather depressing departure from football feels like a betrayal to Giants fans, who expected more from the 2020 Pro Bowl selection.
at least we’ll have Darren Waller’s one touchdown as a Giant to remember him by pic.twitter.com/dkq2Ud6d2R
— Andrew (@gmengalaxy) July 1, 2025
my reaction to waller coming our of retirement pic.twitter.com/oIBArXF2ZR
— NYGcrush🍎 (@NYGcrush) July 1, 2025
Darren Waller went AWOL last offseason. The #Giants, his teammates and reps couldn't get a hold of him for months. Then he finally let the team know he was retiring. Giants should be very happy they got some sort of return for him #NYGiants #PhinsUp #hismusickindaslaps pic.twitter.com/IFDc9feQWE
— Rickey (@SlickRickScoops) July 1, 2025
The Dolphins, on the other hand, are looking to replace tight end Jonnu Smith, who they sent to the Pittsburgh Steelers along with cornerback Jalen Ramsey in a pair of massive exchanges.
Once again, the Giants are on the short end of the stick. While it's impossible to prove or disprove Waller's true intentions, it's worth questioning the timing and motivations of his decision based on his assessment of the G-Men while he was there.
“I’m like, ‘What the f--- am I doing with my life? I’m out here playing fullback," he said on an episode of The Side You Don't See podcast in June, describing his usage specifically during a Week 6 Sunday Night Football game against the Buffalo Bills. "I don’t even want to do this s--- anymore.’”
Could he see a brand new opportunity for success outside of New York? Sure. And frankly, that's not something to be blamed for. But the frustration Giants fans are feeling is rather justified at the same time; it's not their fault that their favorite team has created an actively hostile environment in recent years, and while you can't blame Waller for wanting a change of scenery — he didn't ask to be dealt to New York, after all — he could've handled things a lot differently.