About two hours before tight end Darren Waller announced his retirement, he attempted a game-winning touchdown catch for the Giants.
Waller made the retirement decision in June 2024 but revealed he had been considering it since October 15, 2023, during a game against the Bills.
“It was the first quarter of the game,” Waller shared on “The Side You Don’t See” podcast. “We were running a counter-lead play, and I was like the fullback leading the way. The play was successful, but then I sat on the sidelines after a few runs.”
The Giants lost the game 14-9 after Tyrod Taylor’s pass from the one-yard line fell incomplete to Waller.
The team felt they should have received a penalty for defensive pass interference, but they were already at a disadvantage, having incurred a previous penalty that advanced the ball.
Through the course of that game, Waller had already begun contemplating his future.
“I felt like I was watching the moon,” he reflected. “It was just the early first quarter, and no one else was aware of what I was thinking. But honestly, I thought, ‘I’m going to maximize my abilities this year, but this could be it.’”
His only touchdown that season came against Washington the following week.
Unfortunately, Waller missed five games that season due to a hamstring injury that landed him in the hospital, which he described as a surreal experience following his retirement.
He faced difficulties with breathing and felt “swaying uncontrollably” and “losing consciousness” in his hotel room.
Waller joined the Giants after overcoming substance abuse issues that had previously led to an NFL suspension. He was always candid about his fight for sobriety.
The former professional bowler ended up playing in the last four games of the 2023 season, though he had been unsure about his future. He informed the Giants of his intention to retire in January.
The Giants had traded for Waller during the 2023 draft, anticipating several seasons with him, yet there was speculation he might change his mind about playing again later.
In the months that followed, the Giants drafted tight end Theo Johnson in April 2024, and Waller’s retirement announcement accelerated.
Now, he is focusing on his podcasting and burgeoning career as a rapper after stepping away from football.
