Miami Gardens, Fla. – Formerly retired tight end Darren Waller is set to come out of retirement to join the Miami Dolphins, his agent confirmed to ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday. The Dolphins are trading their sixth-round pick in the 2026 draft to the New York Giants, who will retain Waller’s rights in exchange for Waller and a conditional seventh-round pick in 2027.
At 32 years old, Waller was among the NFL’s top tight ends in 2019 and 2020 while playing for the Las Vegas Raiders, amassing 2,341 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns over those two seasons. Sources told ESPN’s Jordan Larnan that Waller has expressed his return is fueled by his love for the game and a deep sense of missing football.
This move is the second significant trade orchestrated by Dolphins GM Chris Greer in recent days. On Monday, Greer traded three-time All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Johnne Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Waller’s addition fills the gap left by Smith at the tight end position, though it comes with some risks.
Waller had initially announced his retirement last June after a frightening health scare in November 2023. In a YouTube video, he described a “very scary situation” where he struggled to breathe and was unable to stand, use the bathroom, or feed himself for over three days. He did not disclose the exact illness he faced.
Open about his past battles with addiction and his 2017 overdose, Waller has committed to using his experiences to help others. Despite missing 21 games in the last three seasons and recording just 940 receiving yards in two years after signing a contract extension, Waller is familiar with Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Reich, who coached him during his most successful years with the Raiders from 2018 to 2020.
Fan Take: Darren Waller’s return to the NFL injects a compelling storyline of resilience and passion into the league. His comeback not only promises to boost the Dolphins’ offense but also serves as an inspiring reminder of how love for the game can drive athletes to overcome tremendous adversity.
