Darren Waller spent parts of five seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders after joining the franchise midway through the 2018 campaign. He had a breakout year in 2019 as he appeared in 16 games for the first time in his career.
During that season, he recorded 1,145 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 90 receptions and finished third in Comeback Player of the Year voting. Waller had a career year the following season as he finished with 1,196 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 107 receptions.
By breaking his career-highs that he set in the previous season, he earned his lone Pro Bowl selection of his career. He also set a then-Raiders franchise record for receptions, which was surpassed by rookie Brock Bowers in 2024.
Former Raiders GM Mike Mayock spoke on Darren Waller's return to NFL
Waller struggled to stay on the field during his final two seasons in Las Vegas. He appeared in just 20 games, recording 1,053 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 83 receptions. Following the 2022 season, he was traded to the New York Giants for a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
He lasted just one season in New York as he battled injuries, finishing with 552 receiving yards and one touchdown on 52 receptions in five games. The former sixth-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft announced his retirement following the season.
After one year away from football, however, Waller opted to come out of retirement and was traded to the Miami Dolphins this offseason. Mike Mayock, who served as the Raiders' general manager from 2019 to 2021, recently discussed his comeback.
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Waller became a fan favorite during his time with the Raiders for both his play on the field and what he overcame off the field. Mayock recently appeared on "The Rich Eisen Show" and discussed a touching moment from when Waller was still a Raider.
"I'll never forget the poignant moment where he stood up in front of our team. It was his, I forget which year, fifth, sixth, seventh year of sobriety and Maxx Crosby asked us to do something for him," Mayock said. "We raised some money, gave him a big check. It was players only, coaches only and me. And we closed the doors and Maxx introduced Darren to the room. And I sat there transfixed, crying for ten minutes. I'll never forget that moment."
Mayock also noted that Waller is a special player when healthy, and he is interested to see how he looks in his return. He has a clear path to a starting role as the Dolphins traded Jonnu Smith during the offseason, as Pharaoh Brown is the most accomplished tight end on Miami's roster.
"When he's healthy, productive and all-in, he's as good as any tight end in football," Mayock said. "So, I'm rooting for him. All my positive thoughts are with him. And I hope at the end of this year, in his mind, he feels like he made the right decision."