Darren Waller Is Expected To Retire From The NFL Amid Kelsey Plum Debacle

After nine seasons in the NFL, Darren Waller’s career is anticipated to come to an end amid the Kelsey Plum debacle. According to Jordan Raanan of ESPN, Waller is expected to make a decision on his future before the New York Giants’ obligatory minicamp the following week. Some in the club anticipate that he will announce his retirement. Waller has a three-year contract that pays a basic salary of $10.5 million in 2024. However, there is no money guarantee left in the agreement. The financial impact of Waller’s retirement on the Giants is significant. They will receive a $7.9 million dead cap charge and save $6.2 million this season against the cap if Waller does decide to retire.

Last week, Waller released a new music video where he talked about his love life and divorce from WNBA star Kelsey Plum. Waller cast an actress who looked similar to Plum to play his love interest in the video. The title, lyrics, and music video of the song may be a message to Plum. Kelsey had expressed that she was devastated after their separation in April. Barely a year passed during their marriage. After the news emerged, the Las Vegas Aces guard remarked, “I walked through fire for that man, but now I see it’s time to go.” 

Darren Waller’s journey with the Giants began in March 2023. He played a significant role for them. This offseason, there has been a cloud of uncertainty over Waller’s future. On March 7, Waller shared with Dan Duggan of The Athletic that he was “undecided at the moment” about continuing to play. He explained, “It’s really the idea of signing up for another journey. It’s tough, it’s long, it requires a lot. And if you’re not fully bought into every single thing of the process, it’s going to be tough. I feel like, at the end of the day, you’re doing guys a disservice if you’re not all the way in. So those are the kinds of things I’m taking into account.”

All in all, The potential impact of Waller’s retirement on the Giants is a matter of concern. They could face a significant financial shift and a void in their offensive lineup. Furthermore, Waller has the fifth-most receiving yards of any tight end between 2019 and 2023, with 3,946. In 86 games, he will have finished with 4,124 yards and 20 touchdowns. Overall, it seems like things have been unraveling for Waller since the lead-up to his divorce from Kelsey Plum.