Darren Waller makes Raiders history against Dolphins
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Darren Waller’s week got even better Saturday night when he made Raiders history against the Dolphins.
Waller, who was voted to the Pro Bowl team for the first time on Monday, became the only tight end in the Raiders’ 60-year history to have 90-plus catches and 1,000 yards receiving in back-to-back seasons.
Even more impressive, the five-year veteran was working against Eric Rowe, the NFL’s “Tight End Eraser,” when he set the record Saturday. Waller came into the game needing 33 receiving yards to top the 1,000-yard mark, and he accomplished that in the first half against the Dolphins’ safety who has shut down most every tight end this season, including George Kittle, who had just four catches for 44 yards against him in Week 5.
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Waller had three catches for 57 yards by halftime, which was already more yardage Rowe had given up to any tight end not named Travis Kelce this season. The All-Pro Kelce had eight catches for 136 yards and a touchdown with Rowe in primary coverage two weeks ago. Before Kelce, the most yards Rowe had surrendered was 55 by Denver’s Noah Fant.
Waller’s first catch of the game Saturday came on the final play of the first quarter when he beat Rowe on a go pattern for a 29-yard gain. Waller spiked the ball in celebration after his catch.
Todd Christensen and Waller are the only tight ends in Raiders history to get more than 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Christensen did it three times, including back-to-back seasons in 1983 and ’84. Waller has now done it twice, but he’s one-upped Christensen — and every other tight end to ever suit up for the Raiders — by also doing it while catching 90 passes.
The Raiders’ newly honored Pro Bowl tight end also broke Christensen’s single-season record for most catches by a tight end with his third catch, which gave him one more than Christensen’s 95 receptions in 1986.
Christensen’s son, Teren, acknowledged Waller for surpassing the achievements of his late father, a five-time Pro Bowl and two-time All-Pro tight end who has gotten some Hall of Fame support in years past.
“Congratulations to Darren Waller. He’s a great player,” Teren Christensen tweeted during the game.
Waller’s first-half work helped the Raiders take a 13-7 halftime lead over Miami.