BroBible
Darren Waller is a classic case of “what could’ve been?” The former NFL tight end had two 1,000-yard+ seasons right in the middle of his nine-year career but often struggled to stay on the field and never returned to form.
He decided to retire from football after three specific plays in 2023.
Waller, 32, was drafted into the league out by the Ravens with the 204th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. His first three years were less than ideal. Not only did he catch just 12 passes, he was suspended for four games in 2016 and the entire year in 2017 for violating the substance-abuse policy.
Baltimore let him go to waivers upon his return and that led him to Oakland. The Raiders picked him up in 2018 but Waller played just four games that year.
2019 and 2020 told a very different story. Darren Waller caught at least 90 passes in each individual season and recorded more than 2,300 combined receiving yards. He was the best tight end in the NFL.
