Former Raiders’ TE Darren Waller Reveals the Moment He Knew He was Ready to Retire

Former Raiders’ tight end Darren Waller had an incredible run with the team from 2018 to 2022, but towards the end of his time in Las Vegas there were some questioning his desire to play.

Waller was traded to the New York Giants in March of 2023, and he ended up playing only one season in New York before announcing his retirement.

It wasn’t a surprise for many Raider fans to see Waller retire, but this week he discussed for the first time what pushed him to make the decision.

“I don’t know if I’ve shared this with anybody, but I knew I was retiring when we played in Buffalo,” Waller told Buffalo’s 7 News reporter Michael Schwartz.

“It was in the first quarter of the game, we were running this counter lead running play and I’m kind of like leading through the hole like I’m a fullback, and the play is working, but I sit down on the sideline after a drive where we ran it like three times and I’m like ‘What the f— and I doing? I’m out here playing fullback. I don’t want to do this sh– anymore and I’m just like looking at the moon, it’s like early first quarter [or] second quarter. Nobody else would really even know that I’m thinking this but I’m like ‘I’m going to finish this year to the best of my ability, but I’m definitely done playing after this year.'”

Waller has appeared to be happy with his decision to retire, and the Raiders were smart to get away from his contract when they did.

As it turned out, the third-round pick gained in the Waller trade was used a month later to draft University of Cincinnati wide receiver Tre Tucker.

Tucker has brought an explosive dynamic to the Raiders’ wide receiver group over the last two years, but his role might be diminished in 2025 with the addition of fourth-round pick Dont’e Thornton.

It’s still early in the evaluation process, but if the season started today, Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter believes both rookie wide receivers in Las Vegas would be in line for significant roles in the offense.

“I’m going to tell you right now, I think if the season started today, your three starters, your three starting wide receivers [would be] Jakobi [Meyers], Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton,” Carpenter said on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast.

“Now, the season isn’t start today. Training camp is going to have a lot to tell us. But I’m telling you, Dont’e Thornton looks the part, and you can tell by what drills they’re running with him and who he’s running with, that they’re big buyers on him.”