Jon Gruden Sends Message to Darren Waller Amid Dolphins Trade
The Las Vegas Raiders brought back head coach Jon Gruden ahead of the 2018 NFL season, marking the second time he has been at the helm of the franchise. He also coached the team from 1998 to 2001.
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Unfortunately, his winning percentage dropped from 59.4% to 41.5% during his second tenure (via Pro Football Reference). However, he did spot tight end Darren Waller during a pregame warmup against the Baltimore Ravens, and he ended up becoming a key catalyst for the Raiders' offense.
Waller recorded 197 catches for 2,341 yards and 12 touchdowns during his two full seasons under Gruden. He recently retired from the NFL after a brief stint with the New York Giants.
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (83).Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
But on Tuesday, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that Waller was coming out of retirement, as the Giants traded him to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a late-round pick swap.
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Gruden responded to this news by posting a quick message for Waller on social media and attaching a video of the two together.
"My man Darren Waller is back!" Gruden wrote. "Play the song!"
The song that Gruden is referring to is "Top Play," a song that Waller released himself during his retirement when he was making music. The two can be seen in the video singing along to it together.
Waller caught just 52 passes for 552 yards and a touchdown in 12 games for the Giants in 2023. He did not appear in the NFL last season.
He will join a tight end room that features players like Julian Hill, Pharaoh Brown and Tanner Conner.
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Related: Maxx Crosby Makes Surprising Raiders Comparison Ahead of Training Camp
Related: Raiders' Geno Smith Responds to Backlash Over Viral Video
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
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