New York Giants tight end Darren Waller has officially announced his retirement from the NFL at the age of 31. Waller, who joined the Giants for just one season, had informed the team of his plans ahead of the upcoming minicamp. The Giants had anticipated this decision, drafting Penn State's Theo Johnson with the 107th pick as a precaution. Waller's retirement will free up $11.6 million in cap space for the Giants while leaving behind dead cap hits of $2.5 million in 2024 and $4.9 million in 2025. Over his nine-season career, Waller earned $42.8 million, ranking 18th all-time among tight ends. The Giants released a statement expressing their respect for Waller as both a person and a player, wishing him the best in his future endeavors. The announcement was confirmed by NFL insider Adam Schefter.
Darren Waller reveals near-death experience last season in retirement video. https://t.co/ltxK1tR8Zx
New York Giants tight end Darren Waller announced his retirement from playing football on Sunday, saying he "found a lot of joy" in the sport, but "the passion has slowly been fading." https://t.co/h2xhL8PKGc
Want to be excited about Theo Johnson (shout out Penn State, absurdly athletic). But certainly have concerns on usage. Here's @JordanRaanan on the fallout of Darren Waller's retirement: https://t.co/kRlU9ouyrX https://t.co/ctKfRFBdWS
On the new Locked On Giants podcast. Darren Waller calls it a career. Where do things go from here? How might the Giants spend the cap savings and more? https://t.co/m38eMMFZXS
Darren Waller reveals near-death experience from last season in Giants retirement video https://t.co/rvuQrtpVhh https://t.co/wbLe3eMmJk
Darren Waller explained his decision to retire in a YouTube video. Spoke of a scary 3-day hospital stint right before the Giants played the Raiders in November. Thought this was the best decision for him personally. https://t.co/QhhsrBecsi https://t.co/eWLQZh0rqh
Ex-Giants, Raiders TE Darren Waller announces retirement after eight NFL seasons: "I’ve decided to retire from the game of football" https://t.co/PmzIToiQ08 https://t.co/TUeNHmnG6n
"The passion has slowly been fading": Darren Waller makes his decision to retire from #NYGiants and NFL. What this means for #Giants100: https://t.co/Wk9mzrCnz3
Former Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller announces retirement from NFL after eight seasons https://t.co/5NAbqpFmKI
Darren Waller is one of the most interesting, candid, thoughtful athletes I’ve covered. His retirement video is all of those things. Hope he finds what he’s seeking in the next phase of his life: https://t.co/4BT2e5C9mJ
A third-round pick, more than $11 million, and 52 catches for 552 yards later, the Giants officially bid farewell to TE Darren Waller. https://t.co/HFGL3XI7it
New York Giants TE Darren Waller Retiring From NFL After Eight Years https://t.co/bRTgxyn3mj
Darren Waller has *officially* retired from the NFL 🫡 https://t.co/u6lVSyblUY
Darren Waller officially has announced his retirement from the NFL. https://t.co/LECjWkSjAn
From the man himself. Waller said "things are coming together" after a scary illness, the end of his marriage and his NFL career ... https://t.co/9AewT3Uktm
Waller done at 31. A flash and then poof, which describes so many NFL careers. He had a stretch there though that was elite, a level many players never attain. Have a great retirement.
Darren Waller has officially announced that he is retiring from the NFL on his YouTube channel. He walk away from the NFL at age 31. https://t.co/zC4Kk7MvWV https://t.co/ffwfrpWWdE
Giants TE Darren Waller plans to retire at age 31 after 1 season in New York: Source https://t.co/BzFOrr1lgc
The presumption is Waller will be placed on the reserve/retired list. If Waller were to change his mind + decide he wanted to play again, which seems unlikely at the moment, the Giants would retain his rights. The two sides would then determine the next steps for that to happen. https://t.co/xCxichSfCd
Respect Darren Waller’s decision to do what is best for him considering he clearly wouldn’t have been fully committed. He’s turning down more than $10M. Not everyone in his situation would do that.
One of my favorite players in the NFL and a fantasy football legend. Much respect & love to Darren Waller as he calls it a career. https://t.co/TgK7kwLrI9
More about Darren Waller’s imminent NFL retirement, via @JordanRaanan: https://t.co/dYzOEH5iWp
The #Giants were informed Darren Waller intends to retire, per sources. They gained cap space. Had been preparing for this outcome (draft + free agency) for a while. https://t.co/QhhsrBecsi
The Giants took one look at Waller’s divorce regret music video and said congrats on your retirement. 😅 https://t.co/5C9jsU0rFd
ICYMI from two days ago: How Would Giants' Offense Change if Darren Waller Retires? https://t.co/ZZSQlL3vA9
One and done. Darren Waller is retiring. The Giants expected this news. https://t.co/JgNsONA8HS
The Giants have been informed that TE Darren Waller is retiring, per sources. This is was what they had been planning to be the end result. Team statement: “We have great respect for Darren as a person and player. We wish him nothing but the best.”
Star Tight End Darren Waller Retires from NFL After 9 Seasons. https://t.co/4JpskgQyS4
Darren Waller's retirement leaves behind dead cap hits of $2.45M in 2024 & $4.9M in 2025, freeing up $11.625M of space for the #Giants this season. The 31-year-old earned $42.8M across 9 NFL seasons with the #Ravens, #Raiders & NYG, 18th most all-time among Tight Ends.…
In the 2019 and 2020 seasons Darren Waller had 197 catches, 2,341 yards and 12 TDs in 32 games played. In the 3 seasons since? 32 games played, 134 catches, 1,605 yards and 6 TDs.
Darren Waller is, and has been, expected to retire. Though he still has not personally informed the Giants of his decision, the team has gone ahead and released this statement: “We have great respect for Darren as a person and player. We wish him nothing but the best.”
From #NYGiants on Darren Waller, who has informed the team he is retiring: "We have great respect for Darren as a person and player. We wish him nothing but the best." More on Waller's retirement and what this means for Giants here: https://t.co/Wk9mzrCVoB @northjersey https://t.co/WlNzj6Bsb1
TE Darren Waller has informed the #Giants he plans to retire, per @RapSheet. https://t.co/WFiCGfM4PB
TE Darren Waller has informed the #NYGiants that he is retiring. Giants released a statement: "We have great respect for Darren as a person and player. We wish him nothing but the best."
Giants confirm the NFLN report about Waller. "We have great respect for Darren as a person and a player," the Giants said in a statement. "We wish him nothing but the best."
Darren Waller retires at 31, four years after catching 107 passes in a season for the Raiders. “You have to be 100 percent bought in, for the grind,": he said in April. "I have to make sure I am bringing that to the table, or it’s a disservice to the guys I am suiting up with."
After months of pondering his plans, TE Darren Waller has officially informed the Giants that he will be retiring from football, the team confirmed. "We have great respect for Darren as a person and a player," the Giants said in a statement. "We wish him nothing but the best." https://t.co/WWC7pJTG0a
As tight end Darren Waller informs the Giants of his intentions to retire, the team releases this statement: “We have great respect for Darren as a person and player. We wish him nothing but the best.”
Tight end Darren Waller has informed the Giants he is retiring. Team statement: “We have great respect for Darren as a person and player. We wish him nothing but the best.”
The #Giants have released this statement on TE Darren Waller: “We have great respect for Darren as a person and player. We wish him nothing but the best.” Waller has not made an official announcement yet. https://t.co/2vIAhep3fh
Statement from the #Giants on TE Darren Waller retiring: “We have great respect for Darren as a person and player. We wish him nothing but the best.”
TE Darren Waller has informed the Giants that he is retiring, per source. This is was what they had been planning to be the end result. Team statement: “We have great respect for Darren as a person and player. We wish him nothing but the best.”
Darren Waller retires from NFL after forgettable Giants season https://t.co/esmSHEphzb https://t.co/xr98tLUNlr
TE Darren Waller informs Giants that he plans to retire after eight NFL seasons, per @RapSheet https://t.co/PmzIToiQ08 https://t.co/atcDm6mndd
TE Darren Waller informed Giants that he plans to retire. (via @RapSheet) https://t.co/s69zw4iv7h
Darren Waller: Informs team of intent to retire https://t.co/jwcJwo6JMF
New York Giants tight end Darren Waller has informed the team that he plans to retire, per @Rapsheet. https://t.co/LfrcB8hPYP
Darren Waller tells Giants he is retiring. https://t.co/COF0mWzj0u
Giants Darren Waller Informs Giants He Is Retiring https://t.co/BtjYIqUFKg
RapSheet: Waller informs Giants of plans to retire https://t.co/txrFfppV7b
31-year-old TE Darren Waller has informed the Giants he plans to retire. The Giants (+400) have the fifth-longest odds in the NFL to make the playoffs this season. https://t.co/OOFhTAU6ZV
Darren Waller has informed the Giants he plans to retire, per @RapSheet. https://t.co/4yQOTHAOpt
Darren Waller will reportedly be retiring from the NFL. https://t.co/IV51utApv3
After months of contemplation, Waller makes the expected decision. The Giants gain $11.6M in cap savings while eating $2.5M in dead money this year and $4.9M in dead money in 2025. https://t.co/FoPRmyHrAR
The expected outcome after Waller has been away from the #Giants’ offseason program. https://t.co/QpBF75ieFR
Giants TE Darren Waller has informed the team that he is going to retire, per @RapSheet. https://t.co/ZJzq6iiUB8
BREAKING: Giants TE Darren Waller has informed the team that he will be retiring from the NFL, per @AdamSchefter. https://t.co/1OFNx4IQXU
Darren Waller has informed the Giants that he does in fact plan to retire, source confirms. https://t.co/GIUlQjaFgG
Darren Waller has informed the Giants he plans to retire, per @RapSheet https://t.co/RecVx6c56g
Darren Waller is retiring https://t.co/9YODdaGm9Q
The signing of Waller was one of the best moves of Jon Gruden's 2nd tenure with #Raiders. He is 1 of 3 TEs in NFL history (Kelce and Gronk) with back-to-back seasons w/ 1100+ yards receiving and 1 of 6 Raiders at any position to do it https://t.co/5rg1Mkuvga
New York Giants TE Darren Waller has retired from the NFL at 31 years old. https://t.co/0Rem1wZr9B
Darren Waller has informed the Giants he planss to retire, per @RapSheet https://t.co/KEtsIwVDN2
Giants TE Darren Waller has informed the team that he plans to retire, per @RapSheet. https://t.co/Ftx3gSZwbp
Darren Waller has officially informed the Giants that he plans to retire, per @RapSheet https://t.co/KwqctaDKTB
BREAKING - Giants TE Darren Waller has informed the team he plans to retire, per @RapSheet https://t.co/f7hwMf2WDa
With the thought that Darren Waller would potentially retire, the #Giants drafted Penn St’s TE Theo Johnson with 107th pick. They were prepared, and now it’s reality. https://t.co/y09EystCkK
BREAKING: #Giants TE Darren Waller is planning to retire from the #NFL, per @AdamSchefter https://t.co/ZBPOHbvLGt
Darren Waller to announce retirement.
Sources: #Giants TE Darren Waller has informed the team he plans to retire, walking away at the age of 31 after just one season with NYG. Waller hasn’t attended workouts, and the team had known for some time he may not play. Now, he’s officially let them know before minicamp. https://t.co/1ZTmj1VX2m
ICYMI: How Would Giants Offense Change if Darren Waller Retires? https://t.co/ZZSQlL43pH
How Would Giants Offense Change if Darren Waller Retires? https://t.co/ZZSQlL43pH
Giants OTA No. 9 Report: A Thought About the O-Line, No Word from Waller, and More https://t.co/x2KnSk7hX5
And I PROMISE you, this isn’t a “Darren Waller looks unstoppable” thing like from last offseason. This is 100% real and has staying power people. The dude is a DUDE. https://t.co/LoBX9sBRK5
So when does Giants coach Brian Daboll expect TE Darren Waller to make a final decision on retirement? "At some point," Daboll said today. "Right now there is no change from the last couple times I talked to you guys. ... When he makes his decision, he makes his decision.
Brian Daboll said he has been in contact with Darren Waller this offseason, via texts. Still no official word but the expectation is Waller will retire.