Former Raider Pro Bowler Says He Would Have Loved to Stay in Las Vegas

Former Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller felt a sense of passion for the city when he was a member of the Silver and Black.

Sep 18, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller (83) attempts to catch the ball against the Arizona Cardinals in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Playing for the Las Vegas Raiders carries a different weight for players than it does for any other team in the league. 

The Raiders traded former Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller to the New York Giants last March. Waller played in 12 games for the Giants before deciding to retire. 

Waller recently revealed he would have liked to remain in Las Vegas, but ultimately, it wasn’t in the cards for him. Waller revealed he lost his sense of purpose playing football, which led to his decision to retire. 

Waller joined former teammate, defensive end Maxx Crosby, on the latest episode of his podcast, "The Rush," and reflected on his time in Las Vegas and discussed his decision to walk away from the game. 

“I had a definitive ‘why’ before; I just feel like I don’t have one anymore,” he said. “I would have loved to stay in Vegas. I’m riding for the city. We do a lot of s---. Guys like me and Maxx, we really care about the m—--f—--s, and it’s still love at the end of the day. So, I don’t know, man, it’s a tough question.”

The question was whether Waller would have retired if he had been still a Raider, which he found difficult to answer definitively. 

Waller recalled the moment he knew he would retire. 

“We played Buffalo on a Sunday night, and we’re in the course of a game, and we’re having a lot of success with this Y-counter lead play. So, I’m damn-near playing fullback. We go counter, and going up and hitting the linebacker, and Saquon [Barkley] is hitting the jets. I’m like, ‘This is not what I want to be doing.’ It’s helping the team, but I’m in here doing Y-counter lead now? I’m on the sidelines looking up at the moon like, ‘F---.’ The moon is full; I’m just looking at it like, ‘Do I really still want to keep doing this?’”

Waller caught 286 passes for 3,469 yards and 17 touchdowns in five seasons with the Raiders. He is an inspiration as someone who has overcome substance abuse and returned to the football field. 

Waller put together an excellent career in the NFL, and can now look forward to his next chapter in life.

Click here to watch the full podcast episode with Waller and Crosby.

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