The newly retired Darren Waller has done much self-reflection in 2024 in the wake of his divorce from WNBA star Kelsey Plum in April after one year of marriage.
When discussing his highly publicized split from Plum on Monday’s installment of Power 105.1’s “The Breakfast Club,” the former Giants tight end — who also hung up his cleats in June after eight NFL seasons — spoke candidly about how this transformative year has “forced [him] to look in the mirror” as part of his continual growth.
“You talk about get honest or die lying, you kinda got to look at yourself and realize, alright, what role am I playing that all the relationships in my life have always had the same patterns. It kinda plays into everything else I was mentioning earlier, the co-dependency aspect like, any time I’m in a relationship, I feel like I gotta dance or do a certain thing to keep this person around, almost tying my self-worth to the success of a relationship, and you realize how much you lose yourself and doing the things that you love and things that take care of you on a daily basis. Making this person kind of like the center of your universe and how unhealthy that is for everybody involved,” Waller said.
“Realizing that and 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 percent yes to. You have certain conversations and realize there’s so much life ahead of both of us, might as well just go ahead and live it and move on and no type of hostility.”
Waller, 31, wed Plum, a two-time WNBA champion, in March 2023, the same month the tight end was traded to the Giants from the Raiders.
Moments before their divorce was first reported in April, the Aces point guard posted a cryptic message on social media that hinted at the deterioration of the relationship.
“I’m devastated. I walked through fire for that man, but now I see it’s time to go. God has given me an incredible life, and I’m truly so grateful for the profound love from my family and friends. One day I’ll share my story, today is not that day. Thank you for the grace to process my pain, to forgive and move forward. Today and everyday I continue to choose joy,” she posted.
Waller said Monday of the post that Plum, 29, “has every right to express herself in whichever way that she chooses.”
“I was never perfect, and some of the reasons that motivated me to leave, they caused harm, they hurt, I respect whatever way she wants to express herself,” he said on “The Breakfast Club.”
“I’m out here trying to improve and by no means claiming to be a victim in any way, I’m all good with it.”
Roughly a month after their divorce was reported, Waller expressed himself through song, dropping the track “Who Knew (Her Perspective)” and a music video.
Looking to explore other passions beyond football, Waller said “there’s definitely a journey for” him to explore with music.
“I feel something, in a way, like spiritually pulling me in that direction,” he said. “I don’t have any expectations with it, but I believe in myself and the growth that I’m having as an artist and stuff I’m going to be putting out, so, something I want to definitely devote time to among a lot of other things.”
Waller concluded his NFL career with 350 receptions for 4,124 yards and 20 touchdowns. He began his career with the Ravens in 2015.
