Darren Waller says ‘passions are elsewhere now’ after NFL retirement

NFL

By Jenna Lemoncelli

Darren Waller made some major changes in his life after he shocked fans by retiring at the age of 31.

The former Giants tight end — who announced in a YouTube video Sunday that he’s retiring after a near-death health scare in November — revealed he changed his phone number and is evaluating his definition of love following his April divorce from WNBA champ Kelsey Plum.

“I definitely want to pour a lot into my creativity,” Waller said in a recent interview with TMZ, referring to his music, adding his passions are elsewhere now. “I want to do things that I want to do and I’m going to invest time in that. But I’m also going to continue to be what I’ve done for addiction and mental health, that kind of advocacy.

“I want to see the world. I want to travel. I want to be more involved in my family’s lives, be a better friend be a better sponsor, just be more present in the lives of people because I don’t really feel like I have been while chasing football.”

Waller dealt with drug and alcohol addiction and got sober after an overdose in 2017. He said he’s maintained his sobriety.

The former Pro Bowler explained that a recent trip to Utah, where he visited some national parks, helped “bring some closure” in his decision to retire — which he doesn’t regret.

“It’s been relatively calm,” Waller said, referring to his life after hanging up his jersey for good. “I changed my phone number recently and got, like, a dumb phone. So now the people that have my number, the messages I’ve been receiving have all been supportive and loving and what not. So, I just appreciate people allowing me the space to really come to this decision.”

In his eight-season NFL career, Waller recorded 350 catches for 4,124 yards and 20 touchdowns. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2020.

Waller, who was acquired by the Giants in March 2023, spent one season in East Rutherford, which was disrupted by a hamstring injury on Oct. 29.

“Football was a big part of me something that I loved since I was a kid but there was also this element that I continued to do it because I knew it was a tool for people to accept me as well,” Waller said. “… I reached a point where I don’t have that 100 percent to give to the process. I don’t think that’s fair to teammates, or fans, or organizations that are expecting me to give that. That’s why I came to the decision I made.”

Waller went on to say that he’s still working out and training for his mental health and “train to keep my mind and my body right.”

He announced his retirement nearly three months after his split with Plum.

The couple filed a joint petition for a divorce on April 23 in Clark County, Nevada, according to online records viewed by The Post, after one year of marriage.

Waller and Plum tied the knot in a quiet Vegas ceremony in March 2023.

The former tight end said he “absolutely” wants to find love again, but first, he wants to redefine what love means to him.

“Going into relationships, I had to be co-dependent and tap dance to please the partner,” he said. “Or I had to self-sabotage the relationship before the other person did because of things that happened to me when I was younger. My whole definition of love has to change, and that’s a lot of the work I’m doing right now.”