Giants' Darren Waller Plans to Make NFL Retirement Decision 'Pretty Soon'

New York Giants tight end Darren Waller is still undecided on his future in the NFL, but plans to announce his decision "pretty soon."

"I know the team is getting prepared for a new season, so I'm not trying to have it be this drawn-out thing," Waller said, according to The Athletic's Dan Duggan. "I'll be deciding pretty soon, but I haven't made a decision yet."

Paul Schwartz and Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post originally revealed on March 1 that the 31-year-old told members of the Giants organization that he was considering retirement following the 2023 season.

New York traded for Waller in March 2023, acquiring him in a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders while sending out a third-round pick in return. The Pro Bowl tight end hauled in 52 receptions for 552 yards during his first season with the Giants, appearing in just 12 games due to a hamstring issue.

It's worth noting that his disappointing output can be partially attributed to New York's quarterback situation, as starter Daniel Jones suited up in six of the team's first nine games before a torn ACL ended his season in Week 9.

The decline in production combined with injuries piling up in recent years has likely factored into Waller's decision-making process, as he's missed at least five games in every season since 2020.

"I'm undecided at the moment," Waller said, per Duggan. "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," he added.

The Giants would receive an extra $6.7 million in cap space if Waller chooses to retire as well as $7.4 million in dead money.