Darren Waller

“I feel like one day, maybe we'll get to a point where if somebody says they are gay, like it won't be this huge thing. It's just like, hey that's who he is, and he's being who he is 100%.”

“I've run from conversations, from relationships and interactions, my whole life. Now, I will walk straight toward that discomfort. Because that's produced more positive results than running ever did.”

“I feel like with what I've done in my career so that expectations are going to be high for some people because I've shown what I'm capable of doing. I embrace that and I realize that I don't try to live off other people's expectations but more so set a standard for myself.”

“I'm always open to changing the way that I do things.”

“I was spending so much time trying to fit an image and trying to portray myself as something that wasn't me. I knew I was uncomfortable with it, but in a way, I felt like, this is what I have to do. It collapsed my spirits as time went along.”

“I have to continue to dance with what brought me here, and that's taking care of myself internally, mentally, spiritually, emotionally. You get the best version of me on the football field when I'm doing those things.”

“Icy Hot helps me out tremendously, it's something I've had in my repertoire for a couple years now.”

“My life was rough for a while, and a lot of people may have it rough at certain times. But that situation is only temporary, and if I can use my voice to communicate that to them and see that there is another side, a brighter side, to whatever they may be going through, then I feel that is a purpose of mine.”

“If you spend a lot of time stressing over things you can't control, you're going to be miserable, you're going to be frustrated.”

“I'd rather the league put me out of my misery than look like a quitter and come out and say, 'I don't want to play football anymore.'”

“I never really had big goals.”

“I can go in expecting to receive the ball more, but if I go in pressing or feeling like I already have to do more that may give off the assumption I have to do something different than I already do.”

“I just didn't respect who I was because I knew how much I was performing to just impress other people. I was shutting off parts of myself that were authentically me and putting on fronts, putting on a mask just to impress people, just to fit in. And I knew deep down the spirit inside me, it didn't fit right.”

“I feel like adversity in my life is what has taught me the most and given me the most wisdom.”

“At the end of the day, you know the impact that a certain guy is having on your team, and he should be paid according to that impact.”

“I can get the big-picture things, but my mind can stray from the small details at times.”

“I was working at a farmer's market for, like, seven months when I was out of the league, so I don't get too high or too low.”

“If they want to feature me and let me run routes, I'm fine with that. If I'm coming in and blocking, I'm cool with that. If it's just special teams, I'm cool with that. I'm preparing like I'm ready to do all three of those things, and I'm just going to see what happens.”

“When I was a teenager, I was a real sensitive kid.”

“I was a special teams player my first two years and wasn't a main contributor in an offense until Year 5.”