Pro Bowler Darren Waller likely considered retirement after disappointing first Giants season: report

After a three-year run with the Raiders, tight end Darren Waller was traded to the New York Giants in March 2023.

Waller learned he would be playing the 2023 season with a new team shortly after he married Las Vegas Aces star Kelsey Plum. 

The two-time WNBA champion appeared to take issue with the trade and jokingly suggested her husband was traded because Josh McDaniels, the Raiders head coach at the time, did not have the opportunity to attend the couple's wedding.

Waller ultimately relocated across the country, and his first season with the Giants was widely viewed as a disappointment.

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New York Giants tight end Darren Waller runs a drill at practice May 25, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J.  (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Waller finished the season with just one touchdown. The lack of production appeared to lead to conversations between Waller and Giants officials about the tight end possibly calling it quits, according to a New York Post report.

Waller missed several games due to injuries during his time with the Raiders. He was also sidelined for five games during his first year in New Jersey.

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But the 31-year-old Pro Bowl tight end's NFL career is expected to continue, and Waller will likely return to the Giants in 2024, sources told the Post.

Tight end Darren Waller of the New York Giants during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center July 27, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

Waller has interests outside of football, releasing a second rap album last year. 

A healthy Waller has the potential to be a key part of the Giants' offense next season as the team looks to bounce back from a disappointing 2023 season.

Darren Waller of the New York Giants in action against the Carolina Panthers during a preseason game at MetLife Stadium Aug. 18, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

The Raiders sent Waller to the Giants last year in exchange for a draft pick.

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The Giants acquired Waller in hopes he could produce numbers similar to his 2019 and 2020 seasons. He combined for 197 receptions, 2,341 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns those two years.

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