WR Darius Slayton ‘sensed’ Darren Waller was not returning to Giants

After the 2023 season, New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton had a feeling that now-retired tight end Darren Waller was on the verge of calling it quits.

Speaking with former NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson on the All Facts No Brakes podcast, Slayton shared insights into Waller’s mindset when asked if he was surprised by Waller’s retirement.

“I used to always tease him and say, ‘I need one more year. I need one more year,’” Slayton said. “But he would reply, ‘Man, Slay, I don’t got it in me. I don’t know. I don’t know.’ So I kind of sensed he was probably nearing the end.”

Before the 2023 season, Waller — acquired by the Giants from the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round pick — seemed like a bargain. No Giants defender could match his prowess in the spring, and throughout training camp while his ability to stay healthy was promising, especially given that the 31-year-old had only played 20 games over two seasons with the Raiders.

Unfortunately, Waller’s health deteriorated. Early in the season, he mentioned that a nerve issue, not a muscle problem, was causing his hamstring troubles.

A new hamstring injury eventually sidelined him after the Giants’ Week 8 overtime loss to the New York Jets, putting him on injured reserve. This was a significant blow, as he was the team’s leading receiver at the time, and one of the NFL’s best tight ends statistically.

Waller missed five games last season. By the end of the year, he had played in 12 games, starting 11, and caught 52 of 74 targets for 552 yards and one touchdown — a disappointing end to his career.

In early February, rumors of Waller considering retirement began to surface. However, it wasn’t until last month that he made his final decision.

Waller detailed his decision-making process in a video on his YouTube channel, expressing that it was time to stop trying to please others and focus on himself. His off-season was also marked by a divorce from WNBA star Kelsey Plum and a frightening medical episode in Dallas shortly after being placed on injured reserve. Post-retirement, Waller has been working on launching his music career which has been stirring the pot even more on social media.

In preparation for Waller’s departure, the Giants signed veteran free agents Chris Manhertz and Jack Stoll and drafted Theo Johnson from Penn State in the fourth round. Along with Lawrence Cager and Daniel Bellinger, these moves aimed to fill the void left by Waller, suggesting this may have been the Giants’ plan all along in order to secure some extra cap space.