Darren Waller reflects on divorce and retirement, says he had to ‘look in the mirror’

This 12 months has been a whirlwind for Darren Waller.

The former NFL tight finish contemplated retirement whereas submitting for divorce from WNBA star Kelsey Plum. Shortly after the divorce was last, he determined to name it a profession.

Waller mentioned each have been equally troublesome and took a toll on him mentally.

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“Both are a part of who I am, things that meant a lot to me at the time, and for them to both happen at the same time, it’s a lot of emotions you have to process,” Waller instructed Power 105.1’s “The Breakfast Club” with Charlamagne Tha God. “A lot of talking, a lot of writing, a lot of time being spent reflecting and being by yourself. 

“That’s real-life stuff, man. I’ve had plenty of success, plenty of nice moments in my life. But this 12 months has been one that basically pressured me to look in the mirror and dig deep and to categorical myself in ways in which I do not actually get to. Who is Darren Waller at the core with out all this stuff that I strive to attain for, for achievement or validation?”

Waller said he had to “get trustworthy or die mendacity” to himself.

“You kinda acquired to have a look at your self and notice, ‘All right, what role am I playing that all the relationships in my life have always had the same patterns?’” Waller said. “Any time I’m in a relationship, I really feel like I gotta dance or do a sure factor to preserve this individual round, nearly like I’m tying my self-worth to the success of a relationship. And you notice how a lot you lose your self and doing the issues that you just love and issues that maintain you on a every day foundation. 

“Making this person kind of like the center of your universe and how unhealthy that is for everybody involved. Realizing that, realizing the impact that it was having on me, as far as making decisions that were authentic for the life that I wanted, these are things that I couldn’t say 100% yes to. You have certain conversations and realize there’s so much life ahead of both of us. You might as well just go ahead and live it and move on with no type of hostility.

Kelsey Plum of the Las Vegas Aces reacts with husband Darren Waller after defeating the New York Liberty during Game 4 of the 2023 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center Oct. 18, 2023, in New York City. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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“I like to suppose I [had that conversation with myself], however there’s sure conditions the place I did not actually have that self-awareness,” he added. “That’s current in different areas of my life, as properly, the place I assumed I used to be prepared to have a dedication like that and be concerned. But, actually, there’s part of me, the pursuit, the chase, the constructing of it appeared extra interesting than when issues get extraordinarily troublesome, and the similar patterns proceed to come out. It’s like, at the finish of the day, you gotta heal, or the similar issues are going to proceed to occur.”

A month after their divorce, Waller released a song, “Who Knew (Her Perspective).”

“Creating all the time supplies a mirror for me to develop and heal. So, I provide you with a tune written to me, by me,” Waller wrote on an Instagram post announcing the song.

Waller has always made music, but now that his football days are over, he says he could be taking it a bit more seriously.

“I really feel one thing, in a method, like spiritually pulling me in that course. I don’t have any expectations with it, however I imagine in myself and the progress that I’m having as an artist and stuff I’m going to be placing out. So, one thing I would like to positively commit time to amongst plenty of different issues,” he mentioned.

New York Giants tight end Darren Waller after a game against the Los Angeles Rams at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Dec 31, 2023. (Brad Penner-USA Today Sports)

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Waller became an All-Pro tight end with the Raiders before spending his final season with the Giants.

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