Former Raiders Pro Bowl tight end coming out of retirement to play for Dolphins
A year after announcing his retirement from football, Darren Waller is back in the league, agreeing to a deal to play for the Dolphins.
The week began with the Dolphins making a blockbuster trade with the Steelers, sending CB Jalen Ramsey and TE Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh in exchange for S Minkah Fitzpatrick. Immediately after the trade was made, it was revealed that the Dolphins had had their eye on Raiders TE Michael Mayer for some time and could look to trade for him to replace Smith. But in a surprise move, it was another former Raiders tight end who they went after instead.
The Dolphins are trading for Darren Waller from the Giants.
Surprise! The #Dolphins are finalizing a trade with the #Giants for former Pro Bowl TE Darren Waller, who is coming out of retirement to play in Miami, per sources.
A fascinating twist for Waller, who retired last summer, and a new weapon for a team that just traded Jonnu Smith. pic.twitter.com/MDO2XnHClb— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 1, 2025
Waller was traded by the Raiders to the Giants following the 2022 season. He spent one season in New York before announcing he was retiring from football at the age of 32. Now he's reversed course and is returning to the NFL to fill the tight end void in Miami.
Back in 2018, Waller was a relative unknown. He had a opiod addiction that led to multiple suspensions by the league and had him stuck on the Ravens' practice squad. The Raiders plucked him from there and a year later, he broke out as one of the league's top receiving tight ends. A year after that, he set the new Raiders franchise receptions record (107) and headed to the Pro Bowl.
Injuries began piling up after that, leading to his trade to New York.
Now the Georgia native has the chance to play close to home and he's coming out of retirement to do it.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Former Raiders Pro Bowl TE coming out of retirement to play i Miami
What's Your Reaction?
