While he’s still not quite at the level of Travis Kelce, Zach Ertz, or George Kittle, the 2019-20 NFL season has been a nice breakout campaign for Oakland Raiders tight end Darren Waller. A beast up the middle and a mismatch for many defenders, Waller has emerged as one of the top (and only) options on the Raider offence.
Maybe it’s more than just situational and talent emergence. Maybe there’s a little good luck in there too.
According to Paul Gutierrez of ESPN, Waller received a special gift from a fan outside the Raiders season-opener tunnel. Hanging over the railing, the fan got Waller’s attention and handed him a special coin.
The fan gifted Waller his 11-year sobriety coin. With Waller opening up about his struggles with various drug addiction and recovery during HBO’s “Hard Knocks”. Beginning at age 15, substance abuse had been a part of Waller’s life up until two years ago, when he checked into a rehab centre in Maine on September 14, 2017.
To celebrate the two years of sobriety, the fan gave Waller his 11-year coin, customized to the Raiders.
Waller explains that he brings that coin with him in his backpack, and that it reminds him to be true to himself.
What once seemed like a faraway dream actually came true, when he cracked the 53-man roster in Oakland. Now, just one year later, Waller leads tight ends in receptions with 37, while carrying the 4th highest total in yards with 359.
One Twitter user responded claiming to be the fan, and explains how Waller’s story impacted him.
(H/T ESPN)
