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Less than a decade in the NFL, cornerback Levi Wallace has retired at the age of 31. He announced his decision on Instagram on July 17.
“Walk-on. Undrafted. 8 years. Retired. Not bad,” the former Buffalo Bills player captioned his Instagram video, which captured his career in the pro league.
Wallace’s announcement brought the curtain down on an eight-year NFL career that began as an undrafted free agent and eventually turned him into a reliable starter for four franchises.
Although injuries limited the final chapter of his career, Wallace leaves the league after overcoming long odds to establish himself as a reliable NFL cornerback, as is clear from his Instagram post.
Wallace played for the Jacksonville Jaguars last season but spent the year on injured reserve, making no appearances in any game.
He was last seen in action with the Denver Broncos in the 2024 season. That year, he had recorded 28 total tackles.
Wallace was an undrafted prospect from the Alabama Crimson Tide. He played for legendary Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban after joining the team as a walk-on in 2014. Wallace was an underdog waiting for the right moment to show his capabilities.
He played on the scout team in the first two seasons before getting onto the field. In 2016, he earned a scholarship, and in the following year, he became a key starter for the team in their national championship-winning season.
In 2017, he recorded 48 tackles, 31 of which were solo. Wallace defended 15 passes and made two sacks. He returned one of his interceptions for a touchdown.
Wallace signed with the Bills as a free agent in 2018 and landed a spot in the starting lineup the same year. In his rookie season, he played in seven games and recorded 38 total tackles.
Wallace was a key starter throughout his Buffalo tenure, including the Bills’ heartbreaking 13-second playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs following the 2021 season.
“Buffalo will always have a special place in my heart,” he wrote in his farewell message to the Bills and the Bills’ Mafia.
Yet, his stint with the Bills was also his career best among the four teams he played for.
Levi Wallace’s journey from undrafted rookie to NFL retirement
Wallace enjoyed the best statistical season of his NFL career in 2019, recording 76 tackles and two interceptions across 16 games for Buffalo.
He played with the Bills for two more years before he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as a free agent in 2022. He racked up 86 total tackles in those two seasons before moving to the Denver Broncos.
Last season, he sustained a disclosed lower-body injury during training and was put on injured reserve. He remained there for the entirety of the season.
In his six postseason games, Wallace made 23 tackles, caught an interception, and had a sack. His regular-season stats stand at 333 tackles, 12 interceptions, 30 passes defensed, and a fumble recovery.
Wallace’s career may not have begun with the expectations of a top prospect, but his journey from walk-on to eight-year NFL veteran remains one of the league’s more remarkable success stories.
Wallace signed off, calling his run in the NFL “Not bad.” What are your thoughts on his career? Let us know in the comments.
