The Raiders took a bit of a gamble when they re-hired Jon Gruden as their head coach ahead of the 2018 NFL season. While he certainly still had the upside from his first stint with the team, his second try ended up falling flat on its face as he was forced to resign after three mediocre campaigns.
Gruden was good for a few things, however, one of which was spotting tight end Darren Waller during a pregame workout against the Baltimore Ravens. He ended up being the focal point of the offense and caught 197 passes for 2,341 yards and 12 touchdowns in his two full seasons under Gruden.
Waller's tenure with the Silver and Black ended unceremoniously like Gruden's did, as he was traded to the New York Giants after the 2022 season. He only played in 12 games for the Giants before retiring from the NFL and sat out the entire 2024 season.
Darren Waller's trade to Dolphins spares Michael Mayer
On Tuesday, however, Waller made his triumphant return. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that Waller was coming out of retirement and the Giants were trading him to the Miami Dolphins for a late-round pick swap. Somehow, unintentionally, this was his final favor to the Raiders.
Monday's trade between the Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers left Miami without a suitable option at tight end. Rumors began circulating that the Dolphins had their eye on Raiders third-year player Michael Mayer, which caused a bit of concern in Raider Nation.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal's Vincent Bonsignore insisted that Las Vegas had no interest in trading Mayer, but Waller's heading to Miami is the final nail in the coffin. A team would be ludicrous to trade for two tight ends in such a short window, and their need is now less pressing.
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New offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has big plans for Mayer this season, but he is not in charge of the team's personnel. However, because Waller is heading to Miami, Raider Nation can breathe and simply get excited about Mayer and Brock Bowers living up to their potential alongside each other.
Waller was certainly a fan favorite during his days in Oakland and Las Vegas. But like so many players, he soured on the Raiders and had his tenure cut short by poor decision-makers who are no longer with the organization.
Fortunately, Waller will have a chance to end his NFL career on a better note, and he left the Silver and Black with a parting gift, even if it was unintentional.