Darren Waller scores twice for the Dolphins in his first NFL game in nearly 2 years

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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Darren Waller's return game was one to remember.

The Miami Dolphins tight end — playing his first game since the end of the 2023 season — caught two touchdown passes for only the third time in his career, helping his team beat the New York Jets 27-21 on Monday night for their first win of the season.

“It’s a lot to process, a lot emotionally, to be honest," Waller said. “Very exciting. Just to be out there the whole day, yeah. A little bit of fear, a little bit of everything. ... Just trying to get back out there, get into a rhythm and be someone this team can rely on.”

He elevated to haul in a 4-yard touchdown from Tua Tagovailoa early in the second quarter, then added a 9-yard scoring catch early in the third quarter.

“He played really good,” Tagovailoa said. “Any time you get the ball in your hands and you score twice, that shows you could be a viable option for us.”

The first score, which came when Miami elected to leave its offense on the field on fourth-and-goal instead of settling for what would have been a chip-shot field goal, put Miami up 10-0 and was on a play where Waller used every bit of his 6-foot-6 frame to make the catch.

“I can’t remember the last time I threw the ball to dang near the goalpost,” Tagovailoa said.

Said Waller: “Shoutout to Tua for putting it out there and giving a guy a chance.”

The second one — which came shortly after Dolphins standout wide receiver Tyreek Hill was carted off with a left leg injury — put Miami up 17-3.

“Reek means the world to this team,” Waller said. “Full of joy, full of fun.”

Waller had not played in more than a year after retiring in June 2024 as a member of the New York Giants. The 33-year-old came out of retirement in July to play for Miami but initially wasn't practicing much with the Dolphins with hopes of working his way back into football shape.

He was most recently dealing with a hip strain and missed Miami's first three games, all losses.

The Dolphins are Waller's fourth team, after stints with Baltimore, the Raiders and the Giants. He had a pair of two-TD games previously, both for the Raiders, one in 2019 and the other in 2020.

“I feel like I know what to do,” Waller said. “I prepare hard and just trying to put myself in the right positions to win. If a play is to be made, I want to make it.”

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