When Levi Wallace graduated from Tucson High School in 2013, he had no college football scholarship offers. So he walked on at Alabama of all places (he had family ties in Alabama) as a 6-foot, 175-pound cornerback.
Amazingly, by his senior season, Wallace was a starting cornerback for Alabama's national championship team. To make the story more irresistible, Wallace, who was not drafted by the NFL, went on to play 96 NFL games, 72 as a starter for the Bills, Broncos and Steelers. He earned $13.5 million.
Last week, Wallace, now 31, wrote a heartfelt column for The Athletic titled “Dear body, here’s the truth. From a retiring NFL player.”
He wrote an emotional piece about “expectations, fear, doubt and grief.” He talked about his body breaking down, the anxiety and expectations of playing in the NFL and the “fear of letting people down.”
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Steelers cornerback Levi Wallace on the sidelines in a game against the Tennessee Titans at Acrisure Stadium on Nov. 2, 2023, in Pittsburgh.
Along the way, he suffered from Bell's palsy. His father died. An engagement to his fiancée was called off.
On the week-to-week difficulties of remaining healthy enough to play in the NFL, Wallace wrote: “Tape it. Inject it. Brace it. Ice it. Pray for it.”
Wallace often returned to Tucson during his NFL career, taking part in charitable projects in the community. After retiring in July, he completed coursework to become an NFL agent. What a success story.
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