This offseason, the Miami Dolphins traded away Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith, creating a significant need at the position. To fill the void Smith left in their offense, Miami acquired Darren Waller from the New York Giants, bringing him out of retirement.
However, Waller has yet to play a game for the team this season, leaving many fans puzzled about the situation. Here’s everything to know about Waller’s status and why he remains sidelined.
Why Darren Waller Has Yet to Suit Up for the Dolphins
Waller put together one of the most impressive two-year stretches in NFL history from 2019 to 2020 with the Raiders, recording 197 catches for 2,341 yards and 12 touchdowns over that span.
Every touchdown Darren Waller had in the Silver & Black ☠️🏴☠️ pic.twitter.com/i2er6RRpnW
— ShifftttyyyQB1🏴☠️ (@raiders1022) May 4, 2025
So when the Dolphins acquired him from the New York Giants in July, after his retirement following the 2023 season, the organization hoped he could recapture some of that production to give Miami’s offense a boost.
However, Waller has been sidelined by a hip injury and remains on Miami’s Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. He has logged only three partial practices and has yet to appear in a game through the first two weeks of the season.
That absence is expected to continue in Week 3, as reports indicate Waller will once again be out when the Dolphins face the Buffalo Bills.
Per WSVN-7’s Josh Moser (via the weekly Drew Rosenhaus segment), Dolphins TE Darren Waller is not expected to play Thursday at Buffalo. He continues to deal with a hip injury.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) September 15, 2025
Miami’s offense is in desperate need of production at tight end. In his Pro Bowl season in 2024, Jonnu Smith posted 88 catches for 884 yards and eight touchdowns for the Dolphins. But with Waller sidelined to start 2025, the Dolphins’ tight ends have managed just two catches for 20 yards across the first two games.
The Dolphins’ passing game, which has been inconsistent at best this season, is seriously hurting due to the lack of production at tight end. Smith provided quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with a reliable safety net last year, and Waller was expected to fill that role. With Waller out, Tagovailoa has struggled to find that security in the offense.
There is still no clear timetable for Waller’s return. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel offered an interesting comment on September 10, suggesting the veteran tight end might never play a game for Miami.
RELATED: Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel Shares Cryptic Darren Waller Update, Hinting He May Not Play This Season
“We may get to a point where we realize the risk is too great for the rest of the season, and we’ll have to do what’s best for the team,” McDaniel said.
It has been an unusual saga, with many questions about Waller’s status still unanswered. With his absence extending into Thursday Night’s matchup against the AFC East rival Buffalo Bills on Thursday night, September 18, it appears increasingly likely that Waller might not play for the Dolphins in 2025.
