After nine seasons with three different teams, Darren Waller decided to walk away from the NFL after the 2023 season and returned to hisute where he could no longer be connected to a team, he admitted in a video shared to his YouTube channel. Waller, who was 31, expressed a strong desire to retire, stating, “I’ve decided to retire from the game of football, to God: what a journey, what a triumph! We took it way farther than I could have imagined! So grateful for all the ppl I’ve connected and created memories with along the way. We still got plenty more life left to live. Love you all. Peace.” Waller, who had hoped to have a successful retirement, struggled to do so in his last season, with the Giants, where he missed one game and struggled to focus after a long day at the radio station. As his one-year mark came, Waller recalled that it was the mid-quarter game, where his sister, Clar articulating him, that sparked his realization: “I’m just looking at the moon — it’s early first quarter (or) second quarter — and nobody would really even notice I’m thinking this, but I am on the sideline like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to finish this year, but I am definitely done after this year.” This moment, he mentioned, changed his life, leading him to reflect on what he desired and what he had left to lose. The Giants, he noted, won only 14-9, a loss, giving him little time to recover. Waller had a turbulent season as tight end, missing multiple games due to a hamstring injury in Week 8, leading to a significant setback. Additionally, Waller reflected on his marriage to WNBA icon Kelsey Plum, which he filed for in Las Vegas in April 2024. Now gone, Waller has moved on to a career in media and entertainment, focusing on his son’s sports ranch and returning to the news industry. Meanwhile, the Giants, home to his old team, now continue to compete, culminating in a 2024 NFL season where Waller missed just one game. The paragraph concludes with a reflection on Waller’s journey, his transformation from a controversial tight end to a more thoughtful football enthusiast, and his personal growth as a person and family.
