“Contemplating retirement” “Hurt before halftime”: NFL fans grill Darren Waller as ex-Giants TE gets ready for Dolphins debut vs. Jets

By Andre Castillo

Modified Sep 29, 2025 23:36 GMT

Miami Dolphins Training Camp - Source: Getty — NFL fans grill Darren Waller as ex-Giants TE gets ready for Dolphins debut vs. Jets - Source: Getty

Darren Waller finally returned to football on Monday, playing his first game as a Miami Dolphin vs. the New York Jets. However, not many were impressed with his situation even before he played a snap.

Nearly two hours before tip-off, a video of the one-time Pro Bowl tight end, who initially retired in 2024 after playing with the New York Giants, arriving at Hard Rock Stadium went up on the NFL's X.com account:

And the ridicule did not take long to manifest:

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"Almost caught another 4 weeks on IR with that turn," one "sighed".

"CUT HIM," another demanded.

"F***** bum," another swore.

Before Waller's debut, Mike McDaniel provided this statement on Saturday:

“He looks ready, he feels ready. There’s going to be those game day jitters that everyone loves as a player. I’m sure he’ll be very fired up to get the first rep out of the way. Excited to have him up. He looks firmly ready to contribute, which is why he’s going to play in the game.”

About the author

Andre Castillo is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda who holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Master’s degree in Journalism. He has over seven years of working experience and has also covered MMA with FanSided, wrestling with The Sportster, and automobiles with Hot Cars.

Andre follows the New York Jets and the Washington Commanders, mostly because he likes their colors. His favorite position is tight end, and players like Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce have always drawn Andre's attention when watching a game. Bill Belichick is his favorite coach, and his all-time favorite Super Bowl is the XLII edition, when the underdog New York Giants upset the then-undefeated New England Patriots.

If he can change one moment in NFL history, it will be from the NFC Championship Game in January 2019. In that game, a highly controversial no-call cost the Saints what would have been Drew Brees' second Super Bowl visit, where he would have faced Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Andre is always on the lookout for fresh perspectives in a story and ensures complete factual accuracy by double-checking all information before using it in his articles. He has an innate understanding of how to present information in an efficient and compelling way.

Outside the writing realm, Andre is a professional licensed teacher. His hobbies include watching UFC, MotoGP, playing the piano, and travelling.

Know More

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Edited by Andre Castillo