Who is WNBA star Kelsey Plum's husband Darren Waller? Find out more
WNBA champion and Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum is married to NFL star Darren Waller.
The two got married in early March, just a few days before Waller got traded to the New York Giants. The couple initially didn't like the fact that the Las Vegas Raiders traded Waller, but they welcomed the move to New York.
According to reports, Kelsey Plum and Darren Waller weren't happy with Waller's coach Josh McDaniels, as they thought he was the one who leaked their wedding news to the press.
Darren Waller overcame addiction to become an NFL star
Darren Waller has been an NFL player since 2015, when the Baltimore Ravens selected him with the 204th overall pick in the sixth round of the draft.
The tight end signed a four-year, $2.39 million deal with the Ravens back in 2015. Once his deal expired, he joined the Las Vegas Raiders.
Even though he is considered one of the best tight ends in the NFL, his career has been full of ups and downs. Waller struggled with addiction to drugs and alcohol, which started during his high school days and continued through college and in the NFL.
Waller lost his love for the game, and his way of life put his career in serious jeopardy.
With the Ravens, he missed several games due to a suspension after failing drug tests and violating the league's drugs and well-being policy. After failing drug tests again, the NFL suspended him for the entire 2017 season.
Things didn't change until he left the Ravens in 2018 to join the Las Vegas Raiders. There, he entered a rehabilitation program and was ready to get his career back on track.
Darren Waller spoke on the "Monday Motivations" podcast about his addiction:
"What expectations really do is reflect our impatience and our insecurities, our inability to live life on life’s terms...
"How do I treat every day like it could be the last day I could play? How do I love on people as though this is their last day in my life?
"Before, it was all about fitting in and being accepted. Now, I’m not fitting in and being accepted if it involves compromising who I am. I’ve developed the confidence and respect for myself that won’t allow me to make the same decisions or settle for the temporary highs."
Darren Waller turned things around and became one of the best NFL players. The Raiders signed him to a three-year, $51 million extension back in September, and even though coach McDaniels viewed him as a cornerstone of the team, they traded him to the Giants.
Now with New York, and married to Kelsey Plum, Darren Waller has left his past behind and has his sights set on remaining a top NFL player and helping his team play in the Super Bowl.