first talking about your foundation tell us about
the Darren Waller Foundation how you got started what you do and
more importantly why you do it
yeah so the dairy while the foundation was something that
I feel like I wanted to start since the 2019 season and was
looking for a way to really try to get back to the community
I felt like whenever I was a service that that was what
gave me the best feeling so started that in the ground
February of 2020 and has been trying to equip young people
with resources and skills and tools to navigate
the temptation to fall into drug and alcohol and no idea when
I was 15 years old there
got to be a lot of people out in the world that felt the way
that I felt at that age no one be able to help them navigate
those things and I have to go through what I had to go
and because of some of your experiences growing up is that
why you're so passionate about this and helping young people
oh yeah absolutely I'm very passionate about this because
it's something that no had its grip on me for a decade and
I know I have now that I have a lot to offer this world but
during those ten years no I didn't feel like there was
much in me that was good or that can contribute to a better
world a better place so it took me a while to get there and to
learn that into believing that and I want people to see
the gifts that they have to offer the world
because nobody else has but they have an individual and
want them to be able to tap into that
how did that change for you was there a key moment in your life
that that really change things around
yeah I send the key moment that really force me to wake up to
reality was overdosing in my Jeep this was when I was in
Baltimore once in a while your loss is pitching I was in
the grocery store parking lot right around the corner from
Judy and my apartment so that was a moment that you know it
really scared me really made me realize that I wasn't in
control I thought I was in control of everything up to
that point but that was the moment I learned that that
wasn't the
case is that what what made me open to help made me open to
just being honest about what I was feeling and just where
I was at in life and that allowed you start taking small steps
forward
well I know since then you've been able to help a lot of
people a lot of young people do you work mainly with the youth
in the Las Vegas area or is this a national endeavour
yeah right now we work with the Houston lot will use in Las
Vegas area we're sending people to treatment we're targeting
ages 18 to 25 for that treatment Year's Rock. Like
I could use help. I need that help when I was twenty-five
years old so
we tried to charge it that age range would like to work in
prevention as well like I said when I started when I was
fifteen so can you get then but no I want to be able to help
everybody at every age if possible
well that's just fantastic and I commend you for it just being
a strong part of the community and give him back in and doing
what you can to leverage your platform in your position to to
help young people that's awesome well let's talk
a little football
now there and you guys are getting ready to play
the Chiefs it's been to mulch was for the Raiders tell me
a little bit about how things have changed for you especially
on offense with Coach Jon Gruden not being there and kind
of a new situation
in place at the top for the offense
yeah it has been a lot of change with Gruden first and
then which Henry as well two guys that just contributed
a lot to the office of room on day-to-day basis and just
the culture that we created so I think coach has done a great
job
stepping in and I'm continuing what we are done running but
when they don't spit on it and making it a little bit simpler
for guys and I feel like I should step up a receiver
position at tight end position anyone else getting their hands
on the
football to help make up for Henry's production and you know
just to keep is well-balanced in going that we have so often
we have to just deal with me and mercy I thought we'd done
a great job
have that the veteran leaders on the team I done anything to
say hey this is what we have to do to kind of help out here is
sure we've got rich bisaccia a new head coach but what can we
do to to count and keep things
going
I feel like just first and foremost just being real about
the situation not acting like the leaders have the answers
and are no know what to do with situations like this because
this is never really happened to anyone things have happened
last month so just been
being upfront saying hey we don't necessarily know how to
deal with this ordeal with the emotion that we may be feeling
but we can all we known each other and know that we're all
feeling some of the similar things and be able to find
ourselves together
through that into a form a stronger bond in order to move
forward
yeah I went with all that that has gone on to do you guys have
played well here and you're playing the Chiefs for first
place what what do you think will be the keys to Victory on
Sunday night
Sunday for us I feel like whenever we can run the ball
that makes us a much more balanced offense so I would
definitely make plays in the passing game will not running
games clicking like we know that it can put them in a bind
a lot
because Kansas City about to run a lot of cover-2 they like
to do all these exotic looking Zone coverages in the back end
but you know if you can run it by fish me they're going to
have to limit some of that and bring an extra
guy in the box that was things up for guys in the passing game
so I feel like if we get the Run game going for us on
offense that'll help us out tremendously
your quarterback Derek Carr seems like he's had a fantastic
year what have you seen in his growth in his maturity through
this process
just I mean just determination in Gretna and intensity
intensity level it's always been high but this year is like
you you see it in
his eyes and you just feel the vibe we don't use it on point
with the way that he plays and we know that he can go out
there and be consistent and do the best you can and don't keep
us all on the same page he
was excited he was having fun but also give us a motivational
word or a kick in the butt when we need it so he's a very
valuable leader in the Bible verses Racine
tell me a little bit about Coach besace I know that
the nation may not know a whole lot about him but it seems like
he's done a very good job of getting you guys going and
keeping you focused on the right direction
yakko's massage is one of my favorite men I've ever come
across in this league to be honest he's a great man that
cares about individuals cares about people is always offering
words of wisdom always checking in to see how you guys are
doing how they're feeling
what can changed to help us players feel fresher or to you
know help us with anything that we have going on mentally so
he's just been a guy that I've leaned on ever since I got to
see you and to see him in this world we
know I have the utmost confidence in him and his
ability not only to be a guy that has four players but you
know helps us move where we want to go with our mission
did he have a message for the team or something that he
really wanted to get established when he first took
over for coach Gruden
what can stand out to me that he said every day is every day
we reinstall effort and the choice is yours is on you so
every single day if you come in and you know you re-establish
that you reached out what your effort is what's your
name what's your attitude is and just comes down to
something that you can take them with individual play bases
from one to the next not about you know looking too far down
the road still having a vision but it's also about what you
bring and every
single day and every single play to the Sea
well my last question for you this is kind of on the personal
know you mentioned being in that parking lot a short ways
away from the Baltimore Ravens facility and almost overdosing
how do you go from that point to becoming one of the best
tight ends
in the league and and going to Pro bowls how did that happen
what was the key for you
yeah I don't know if there's one cheat code for it to be
honest I took me going to rehab equipment World on hold and
really just getting honest about my situation honest about
no defect in my character and just the wise and that
I started to
believe my mind that took over and we're having you living in
fear and anxiety so was I was able to talk about those and no
let my guard down be honest with people I can see that no
I wasn't unique in the problem that I have
but why people in the world suffer from the same thing that
I do once I stopped isolating to start building connections
with those people and you know continue in the admin about
the work on the inside of me that's on that's my house I will
change
because I just didn't believe in myself I didn't have a good
relationship with myself and not showing the football field
with the way that I play Early my career so once I was able to
do love and respect the work that I was doing for myself
and in my life that's translate on some the few I can start
believing myself more and that turned into the consistency
went down and down basis so I just no looking at the ugly
parts of myself and things I needed to change and not being
afraid to work on those and just
keep walking that way each and every day
imagine that you're not unique and I know one of your
teammates Maxx Crosby it said you helped him and inspired him
just with your story and your example how gratifying is that
to know that that you helped the other people that your your
story has been
helpful to others I mean that's the best feeling in
the everyday basis and they really steal the impact of the screw
you try to be on a regular basis not trying to do anything
special but just who you are as a
person to take over the world because you know I don't think
there was much output Bible on display early in my career that
somebody else to take for me and that motivated me when I'll
try to get my life back on track light know what impact
it might have on the world or people know better because
I was around them and see that from Max and see how he's
taking hold of his life and taking it to a whole nother
level Des know I couldn't ask for anything better than that
now you're right that's absolutely awesome we
appreciate what you do Darren everyday we appreciate you
joining us here and not just thanks for your effort keep it
going congratulations
wish I could come from you.