Back in the summer -- even before he announced he was coming out of retirement and returning to the NFL -- Darren Waller was communicating with former head coach Jon Gruden.

The theme of those conversations, the former Pro Bowl tight end recalled Thursday, was "Just keep going" and "You know you still got some [gas] left in the tank."

"It feels good," Waller said, "to get that love and respect from people that you've put a lot of time in this thing with." Shortly after his conversations with Gruden, the tight end announced he was returning to the league after a one-year hiatus. The Giants , who had retained his rights, traded him to the Dolphins .

Over the last two weeks, the 33-year-old Waller has flashed the ability that made him a Pro Bowler in 2020. In his first action of th

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