What happened to Darren Waller and Kelsey Plum's relationship?
What happened to Darren Waller and Kelsey Plum? NFL tight end Darren Waller and WNBA star Kelsey Plum divorced in April 2024 after just 13 months of marriage. What started as a "Vegas power couple" romance ended abruptly following trade drama and the strains of a long-distance relationship.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Darren Waller and Kelsey Plum began dating around 2021 and tied the knot on 4 March 2023 in Las Vegas.
- Only 10 days after the wedding, Waller was traded to the New York Giants, forcing the newlyweds into a long-distance marriage.
- Darren and Kelsey officially filed for divorce on 23 April 2024.
Profile summary
Real name | Darren Charles Waller | Kelsey Christine Plum |
Gender | Male | Female |
Date of birth | 13 September 1992 | 24 August 1994 |
Age | 33 years old (as of 2026) | 31 years old (as of January 2026) |
Zodiac sign | Virgo | Virgo |
Place of birth | Acworth, Georgia, United States | Poway, California, United States |
Current residence | Miami, Florida, USA | Los Angeles, California, USA |
Nationality | American | American |
Ethnicity | African-American | Irish |
Religion | Christianity | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight | Straight |
Height in feet | 6'5" | 5'8" |
Height in centimetres | 198 | 173 |
Weight in pounds | 238 | 145 |
Weight in kilograms | 108 | 66 |
Hair colour | Black | Black |
Eye colour | Brown | Brown |
Mother | Charlena Waller | Katie Plum |
Father | Dorian Waller | Jim Plum |
Siblings | 1 | 3 |
Marital status | Divorced | Divorced |
Ex-spouse | Kelsey Plum | Darren Waller |
School | North Cobb High School | La Jolla Country Day School |
University | Georgia Institute of Technology | University of Washington |
Profession | Professional football player | Professional basketball player |
Net worth | $5 million–$10 million | $2 million |
What happened to Darren Waller and Kelsey Plum's relationship?
Darren Waller and WNBA star Kelsey Plum divorced in April 2024 after 13 months of marriage. Although the breakup was mutual, their union was heavily impacted by their busy careers and long distance, which led to the split.
Kelsey Plum is currently playing for the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA. Before, she played for the Las Vegas Aces for eight seasons since 2017.
Kelsey Plum's basketball career started at the University of Washington, where she was the all-time leading scorer. She was drafted by the Las Vegas Aces in 2017. During her time in Vegas, she won four straight All-Star nods and an All-Star Game MVP trophy. The 2024 Olympic gold medallist added another gold to her collection at the Paris Olympics.
Kelsey Plum and Darren Waller's relationship journey
Source: UGC
Kelsey Plum and Darren Waller were the ultimate Las Vegas sports icons. However, their high-speed romance ended almost as quickly as it began. Here is a breakdown of their short-lived relationship journey.
2021–2022: Low‑key private start
The pair kept their early days private, but fans noticed Waller attending Kelsey's Las Vegas Aces games in 2022. The then tight end for the Las Vegas Raiders attended an All Elite Wrestling match in May 2022.
Waller was also spotted courtside at Las Vegas Aces games cheering on his then girlfriend Kelsey Plum in August 2022. By the time they were spotted together at a San Diego Padres game in October 2022, the "soft launch" was complete.
4 March 2023: Wedding leak makes headlines
Source: UGC
Kelsey and Darren planned a private ceremony on 4 March 2023. However, then Raiders coach Josh McDaniels accidentally announced the wedding to reporters during a press conference. Waller was reportedly frustrated that his private life was made public by his boss.
January–March 2023: Quiet proposal to a spontaneous wedding
The proposal shared in interviews was classic and quiet: a hike at Torrey Pines in San Diego. Darren told AP’s Pro Football podcast:
We were in San Diego, and we went to Torrey Pines [State Natural Preserve Park], and there’s this hike to where the beach is. We went up on this rock where it’s out on the water, and I had a photographer there. That’s what I had planned for it.
They did not waste any time after that. They picked up a marriage licence in January 2023 and tied the knot on 4 March 2023, at a private farm in Las Vegas.
According to People, in a now-deleted Instagram post, Plum shared a series of photos of her and Waller as they shared their first kiss on their wedding day, with the caption:
Him 🖤 3.4.23.
Waller later admitted the wedding was a bit of a spur-of-the-moment thing; he didn't even tell his team he was getting hitched.
March 2023–March 2024: The long-distance curveball
Source: UGC
The honeymoon in Turks and Caicos was short-lived, as just 10 days after the wedding, the Raiders traded Waller to the New York Giants. The NFL star said after the trade:
I did not see this coming... It caught me off guard, but it's the nature of the business.
Suddenly, the newlyweds were living on opposite coasts, and the transfer fuelled rumours that the relationship between Waller and McDaniels had turned sour. A fan posted on X (Twitter):
Darren Waller JUST GOT MARRIED to Kelsey Plum of the Las Vegas Aces, and Josh McDaniels’ wedding present was to trade him to the New York Giants. McDaniels is NOT a romantic.
Kelsey Plum fired back:
Prolly 'cause he wasn't invited to the wedding, lol.
While they attempted to manage the distance with FaceTime and frequent flights, the physical gap too its toll. The NFL player sparked divorce rumours in January 2024 after he posted a TikTok video. According to TMZ Sports, the NFL star clarified that the video was for fun and that everything was fine with their marriage.
April 2024: Breakup confirmed
Source: UGC
Darren and Kelsey officially called it quits on 23 April 2024. Kelsey posted a heartbreaking note on X (Twitter), saying she was devastated by the end of the marriage:
I am devastated. I walked through fire for that man, but now I see it's time to go.
Darren and Kelsey's divorce was finalised just 13 months after they tied the knot. It coincided with a chaotic period for Waller that saw him retire from the NFL, only to return for the Dolphins in 2025 briefly.
May 2024: Post‑split reflections through music
Source: UGC
In May 2024, just weeks after the split, he released a song and music video titled Who Knew (Her Perspective). The American athlete claimed the song was an exercise in "growth and empathy." He wrote it from what he imagined was Kelsey's perspective, trying to process the heartbreak through her eyes. He told The Breakfast Club:
I’ve struggled with intimacy in romantic relationships my whole life, and I recognize the toll it has taken on the lovers I’ve been close to.
FAQs
- Who is Darren Waller? Darren Waller is an American NFL tight end for the Miami Dolphins.
- Who is Kelsey Plum? Kelsey Plum is a WNBA player for the Los Angeles Sparks in the United States.
- What NFL player dated Kelsey Plum? Kelsey Plum dated NFL player Darren Waller, and they got married.
- What happened to Darren Waller and Kelsey Plum? Waller and Plum got divorced in April 2024.
- Why did Kelsey Plum and Darren Waller divorce? Waller alluded to struggles with intimacy and the pressure of their demanding professional schedules.
- What is Kelsey Plum's current relationship status in 2026? The sports personality is seemingly single as of January 2026.
- How long was Darren Waller married to Kelsey Plum? They were married for 13 months. They tied the knot in March 2023 and divorced in April 2024.
Darren Waller and Kelsey Plum's marriage was a whirlwind romance heartbreakingly cut short after just 13 months. The NFL tight end and the WNBA star's love story began around 2021 amid her Las Vegas Aces games, but Waller's trade to the New York Giants after their honeymoon later forced a long-distance strain.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
