MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins placed veteran tight end Darren Waller on injured reserve Wednesday due to a pectoral injury he sustained in this weekend’s game at Cleveland.
Waller was injured in the first half of Sunday’s 31-6 loss and did not return. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that Waller was dealing with a soft tissue injury.
“It’s a situation that probably it would be living in hope to see him in the upcoming next weeks’ games, but he’ll be diligent,” McDaniel said. “This means a lot to him, but that’s kind of where I’m at with it right now with the information I have.”
Waller has 10 catches for 117 yards and four touchdowns in four games for the Dolphins this season. He will miss a minimum four games and will be eligible to return Week 13 against New Orleans, following Miami’s bye in Week 12.
Waller missed the first three games of the season because of a hip strain, but made an immediate impact in the Dolphins’ passing game, especially with star receiver Tyreek Hill out for the season with a knee injury.
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 as he dealt with the hip injury and worked his way back into football shape.
Playing in his first NFL game in nearly two years, Waller recorded two touchdowns in the Dolphins’ Week 4 victory over the New York Jets — their only win of the season.
“I feel like I know what to do and I prepare hard,” Waller said after that game, “and just try to put myself in the right positions to win and if a play is to be made, I make it. If it’s not my turn, I’m encouraging my teammates. It was just fun, man. It felt like when I started playing football as a kid. I felt like I lost it sometimes but, yeah, tonight was pretty cool.”
Also Wednesday, Miami signed tight end Greg Dulcich to the active roster off the practice squad and signed tight end Chris Myarick to the practice squad.
Dulcich has made 10 starts in three seasons with Denver (2022-24) and the New York Giants (2024), recording 41 receptions for 464 yards and two touchdowns.