A touchdown on Thursday night meant a little extra for the Las Vegas Raiders finalist Darren Waller.
With Derek Carr removed after suffering a groin injury, back-up Marcus Mariota connected with Waller at an impressive 35-meter pass. Waller soon stood up and made a “3” and “4” gesture with his hands, although the angle made it difficult to see.
The meaning was not immediately obvious to Fox broadcasters, but one of Waller’s former teammates with the Baltimore Ravens immediately saw the tribute to the late Lorenzo Taliaferro:
S / O to Darren Waller for throwing 34 for Zo !! 🙏🏾
– Justin Forsett (@JForsett) December 18, 2020
Taliaferro died Wednesday from undisclosed causes at the age of 28.
Waller and Taliaferro overlapped for two seasons in Baltimore, both going through their own struggles. Taliaferro’s foot injuries prevented him from appearing in more than three games each season after an encouraging year as a starter, while Waller’s struggles with addiction during his time with the Ravens are well known.
In the end, Waller put his life together and now plays for the Raiders, but that doesn’t mean he forgot about his old Baltimore teammates.
The catch was part of a historic night for Waller, who finished with nine catches for 150 yards and a touchdown. On NFL research, Waller joins Shannon Sharpe, Kellen Winslow and Todd Christensen as the only tight ends who post 150 yards or more in several games during a season.
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