Darren Waller, a player for the New York Giants, is hanging up his jersey and leaving the NFL.

“I have made the decision to step away from the game of football,” Waller, 31, posted on Sunday, June 9 on Instagram. “Thank you, God, and what a journey it has been. We went much farther than I could have ever imagined! I’m so appreciative of everyone I’ve met and made memories with along the journey. There is still a great deal of life left in us. I adore you all. Harmony.”

Before their minicamp, scheduled to begin on Tuesday, June 11, Waller notified the Giants of his decision.

The NFL tight end, who divorced WNBA All-Star Kelsey Plum in April after just a year of marriage, talked about how a medical issue that occurred off the field during the previous season “forced me into a position to re-evaluate” in a different YouTube video.

Waller claimed that he started having chills, a fever, and shaking in November 2023. The athlete chose to dial 911 when he began to have breathing difficulties.

“It was a really terrifying circumstance. I ended up spending three and a half days in the hospital,” he remembered. “It was an experience that, at the very least, would wake someone up and make them think.”

Before becoming sober in 2017, Waller battled alcohol and drug abuse, and the experience changed the way he saw life.

“I resume my routine, and it’s evident that I nearly lost my life,” he remarked. And if I had passed away at that point, I’m not sure if I would have felt fantastic about how my life was going. I’m doing something that brought me a lot of happiness and amazing moments, but my enthusiasm has been gradually waning.

Waller made it apparent that his life’s passions have changed even though he chose not to disclose his diagnosis. It’s time for him to move on from the football field and pursue other endeavors, like his ongoing work advocating for mental health.

“To believe that I have to pick one path in life and stick with it like most people do would be the worst possible thing for somebody like me,” he clarified.

The Giants said in a statement to Yahoo Sports in reaction to Waller’s news, “We have great respect for Darren as a person and player.” We hope for the best for him.”