Dolphins’ Darren Waller looks ageless in NFL retirement return

It has been quite the journey for Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller, to say the least. On Monday, he added another chapter to his storybook life as he played his first game since coming out of retirement.

Waller did not play last season after stepping away from the game. But in his return against the New York Jets, the 33-year-old veteran looked like he had no rust at all.

He caught a four-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to give the Dolphins an early double-digit lead, 10-0, much to the delight of the fans at Hard Rock Stadium.

But he wasn’t done yet. In the third period, Waller caught a nine-yard touchdown to extend their commanding lead, 17-3.

DARREN WALLER SCORES AGAIN

Tua threads the needle to Waller to extend the Dolphins' lead

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 30, 2025

Talk about muscle memory.

The Dolphins are still looking for their first win of the season, and with Waller stepping up, they might seal the deal versus the Jets.

Waller is one of the more well-known success stories in the NFL. During his teenage years, he got addicted to drugs and alcohol. But he worked his way to become a sixth-round draft pick in 2015. In 2017, he was suspended for one year without pay for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. It was a stern wake-up call. Waller became a Pro Bowler in 2020 and founded a charity to help the youth.

He played 12 games for the New York Giants in 2023. After coming out of retirement in July, the Giants traded him to the Dolphins, along with a seventh-round pick in 2027, in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2026.

As of writing, Miami is still up against New York, 24-10, in the fourth quarter.

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