CHARLOTTE — The Panthers have added proven, veteran experience to their tight end room, signing Pro Bowler Darren Waller on Monday. Waller has been in the league since 2015, spending time with the Baltimore Ravens, the Las Vegas Raiders, and most recently, the Miami Dolphins.

His time with the Dolphins means he will now reunite with Darrell Bevell, who was the passing game coordinator in Miami during Waller's time.

Waller was drafted in the sixth round of the 2015 draft. He has been named to the Top 100 three times by his peers. Before Waller puts on his Panthers jersey for the first time, get to know the new tight end with these fast five facts.

Wasn't always a tight end

Waller first entered the league as a wide receiver, the position he played at Georgia Tech. He spent his first season in the league in the same wide receiver room with former Panthers' pass-catcher Steve Smith Sr. It wasn't until the spring ahead of his second season that Waller converted to tight end.

Between the position change and personal obstacles, it wasn't until 2019 that Waller really started to show what he could do as a tight end in the NFL. That season, Waller finished with 90 receptions for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns, and turned in five games of 100-plus yards.

He was named as an alternate to the Pro Bowl behind Travis Kelce, but a broken thumb kept him from participating.

Established himself as one of the best in 2020

Building off a strong 2019 season, Waller turned in a career-best year in 2020. He finished with a career-high 107 receptions, which was fourth in the entire league and first among all tight ends that season, for 1,196 yards, which was 10th league-wide and second among tight ends behind only Kelce.

In Week 13 of that year, Waller pulled in 13 receptions for 200 yards, establishing a Las Vegas Raiders record for most yards by a tight end in a game.

He was named to the Pro Bowl that season.

Works to help youth with substance problems

Also in 2020, Waller established the Darren Waller Foundation. After dealing with substance abuse issues as a teenager and young adult, Waller committed himself to ensuring others don't follow a similar path.

The foundation, which provides grants to support recovery treatment for individuals, is intended to "equip youth to avoid and overcome addiction to drugs and alcohol and to support youth and their families during their recovery and treatment journey."

Initially retired before returning in style

After almost a decade in the league, Waller decided to retire in June of 2024. He had spent the previous season with the New York Giants and spent part of the year on the injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

A year later, the then-32-year-old realized he wasn't done. He returned to football and joined the Miami Dolphins (as part of a trade with the Giants), making his debut in Week 4. In his first game back since January of 2024, Waller pulled in three receptions for 27 yards, two of those for touchdowns. He finished the season appearing in nine games, pulling in 24 receptions for 283 yards and six touchdowns.

Music is in his family

Waller's great-grandfather was renowned international pianist Thomas "Fats" Waller. He spent time as a Broadway composer, recording artist, touring artist, and later in life, a jazz composer and influence.

Fats Waller has two songs in the Grammy Hall of Fame, "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Honeysuckle Rose." He is also in the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Lincoln Center Jazz Hall of Fame, among others. The Broadway musical "Ain't Misbehavin'" is a tribute to his music.

Music runs in the family. Darren Waller has two albums under the stage name D Wall and three albums under his given name, including one released as recently as June of this year.