Darren Waller’s first trip to Buffalo is when he decided to call it a career.
The [Buffalo Bills](https://www.syracuse.com/buffalo-bills/) themselves did not necessarily factor into Waller’s decision as much as the game plan that former Bills offensive coordinator and current New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll was utilizing.
“I knew I was retiring when we played in Buffalo,” Waller said on [_The Side You Don’t See_](https://www.instagram.com/sideudontsee/) podcast. “It was a game where it was really controversial because one of the guys held me at the end, and they didn’t call it. It was in the first quarter of the game. We were running this counter lead running play, and I’m kind of like leading through the hole like I’m a fullback, and the play is working. But I sit down on the sideline after like a drive where we ran like three times and I’m like, what the f--k am I doing with my life? I’m out here playing fullback. I don’t even want to do this s--t anymore.”
Waller would go on to say that he would stare at the moon during the primetime matchup and decide that the 2023 season would be his final year in the NFL.
“I’m just looking at the moon — it’s early first quarter (or) second quarter — and nobody else would really even know I am thinking this, but I’m on the sideline like, ‘Yep. I’m going to finish this year to the best of my ability, but I am definitely done after this year.’ And that was the only time I played in Buffalo."
A lot of people — fans and players — were likely questioning their love for the game as the Bills would win a 14-9 stinker. Buffalo’s offense looked out of sorts for most of the game as it was their first action back in the United States after playing the previous week in London.
Waller left money on the table by retiring at 31, but he earned $42.8 million across nine seasons in the league. His best seasons in the league came in 2019 and 2020 with the Raiders. He went over 1,100 yards receiving in both years and finished with career-highs in 2020 when he recorded a 107-1,196-9 stat line. The tight end would be named to the Pro Bowl that season.