Veteran cornerback Levi Wallace has announced his retirement from the National Football League at the age of 31, concluding an eight-year professional career that saw him play for the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Denver Broncos.
Wallace spent the most recent season on the injured reserve list with the Jacksonville Jaguars, never appearing in a game. His final active game appearances occurred during his tenure with the Denver Broncos.
He shared his decision via an Instagram post, succinctly captioning it: "Walk-on. Undrafted. 8 years. Retired." He added, "Not bad."
A Path Forged Through Perseverance
Wallace's professional journey mirrored his collegiate experience, where he consistently defied expectations. After graduating from Alabama, he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent, a familiar role for someone who began his college career as a walk-on.
He initially joined the Alabama Crimson Tide program in 2014, spending his first two seasons on the scout team. His dedication paid off, earning him a scholarship for the 2016 season. By 2017, Wallace had become a pivotal starter in the Crimson Tide's defense, contributing significantly to their National Championship victory.
During that championship season in 2017, Wallace showcased his defensive prowess, accumulating 48 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks. He also recorded three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown, and led the SEC with an impressive 15 pass breakups.
An Eight-Year NFL Career
Despite his strong collegiate performance, Wallace went undrafted in the NFL. He subsequently signed with the Buffalo Bills as a free agent, quickly proving his value by earning a starting role during his rookie season, where he started seven games.
Once established in the Bills' secondary, Wallace maintained his starting position throughout his four-year tenure with the team. During his time in Buffalo, he amassed 219 tackles and secured six interceptions.
Following his stint with the Bills, Wallace moved to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he played for two seasons. He started 18 of the 31 games he appeared in for Pittsburgh, continuing to demonstrate his ball-hawking skills by adding another six interceptions to his career total.
His final active season in the league was with the Denver Broncos, where he started two of 13 games and recorded 28 tackles.
Over his entire NFL career, Wallace played in 96 games. He concludes his career with a total of 333 tackles, 56 pass deflections, and 12 interceptions.