{{Short description|American football player (born 1974)}} {{Use American English|date=September 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Al Wallace | number = 96 | position = Defensive end | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|3|25}} | birth_place = Delray Beach, Florida, U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 5 | weight_lb = 275 | high_school = Spanish River Community {{avoid wrap|(Boca Raton, Florida)}} | college = Maryland | undraftedyear = 1997 | pastteams = * Jacksonville Jaguars (1997)* * Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|1997|1999}}) * Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|2000}}) * Miami Dolphins (2002)* * Carolina Panthers ({{NFL Year|2002|2006}}) * Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|2007}}) | statlabel1 = Total tackles | statvalue1 = 143 | statlabel2 = Sacks | statvalue2 = 23.0 | statlabel3 = Forced fumbles | statvalue3 = 4 | statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries | statvalue4 = 5 | statlabel5 = Interceptions | statvalue5 = 4 | statlabel6 = Defensive touchdowns | statvalue6 = 1 | pfr = WallAl20 }}
'''Alonzo Dwight Wallace ''' (born March 25, 1974) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills. He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins.
==Early life== Wallace attended Spanish River Community High School in Boca Raton, Florida. As a junior, he played running back and rushed for over 500 yards.
As a senior, he was a two-way player at outside linebacker and wide receiver, while tallying 31 receptions for 571 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also practiced basketball.
==College career== Wallace accepted a football scholarship from the University of Maryland, College Park, to play wide receiver in a run and shoot offense.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1996-10-05-1996279076-story.html | title=Terps' Wallace thrives on doing right things He may be 2-way player against N.C. State today | accessdate=August 14, 2019}}</ref> He instead was moved to linebacker under head coach Mark Duffner.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2004-02-01-0402010095-story.html | title=Ex-Terp Wallace takes scenic route to reach showcase | accessdate=August 14, 2019}}</ref>
As a redshirt freshman in 1993, he was a backup, playing in 9 games and making 18 tackles (10 solo). As a sophomore, he became a starter, registering 39 tackles (27 solo), 3 sacks (led the team) and 8 tackles for loss (led the team).
As a junior, he started 10 out of 11 games at outside linebacker, recording 47 tackles (38 solo) and 5 sacks. He also lined up at tight end in several games.
As a senior, he started 9 games, while making 40 tackles (33 solo) and being named to the AD's Honor Roll for the fifth consecutive semester. He finished his college career with 108 tackles and 12 sacks.
==Professional career== Wallace was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent after the 1997 NFL draft on April 21.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1997-04-22-7901010260-story.html | title=Baseball Honors: Kenny Lofton of the Atlanta Braves... | accessdate=August 14, 2019}}</ref> He was tried at outside linebacker during training camp. He was waived on August 19 and later signed to the practice squad.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1997-08-20-1997232112-story.html | title=Bills: Released QB Jim Ballard and WR... | accessdate=August 14, 2019}}</ref> He spent the first 13 regular season games on the team's practice squad before being released in November.
On December 2, 1997, he was signed as a free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles. On September 5, 1999, he was placed on the injured reserve list with a fractured and dislocated ankle.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1999-09-06-9909060020-story.html | title=Bears: Released FB Robert Chancey, DT Paul... | accessdate=August 14, 2019}}</ref> He was released on August 28, 2000.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/2000/08/29/SPORTS-TRANSACTIONS-FOR-SUNDAY-AUGUST-27/7605967521600/ | title=Sports Transactions | accessdate=August 14, 2019}}</ref>
In 2001, he signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bears. He was waived injured on August 28.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2001-08-29-0108290066-story.html | title=NFL Transactions | accessdate=August 14, 2019}}</ref>
In March 2002, he signed as a free agent with the Miami Dolphins, after spending a year out of football. On July 19, he was traded along with a 4th round draft choice (#119-Colin Branch) to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for defensive end Jay Williams.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2002-07-20-0207200292-story.html | title=For The Records | accessdate=August 14, 2019}}</ref>
In 2002, he was a backup defensive end behind Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker. In 2003, he had 38 tackles, 5 sacks, 9 quarterback hurries, 5 passes defensed and 2 interceptions, while playing in Super Bowl XXXVIII. He also played a key role on a special teams unit that blocked 5 kicks in the first 2 games of the season.
Wallace, along with fellow Maryland alumni Kris Jenkins, Peppers, Rucker and Brentson Buckner established a formidable defensive line rotation from 2002 to 2006, which many experts considered to be among the best during that time span.
In 2006, he registered 30 tackles, 3 sacks and 13 quarterback hurries. On February 19, 2007, he was released because of salary cap reasons.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.greensboro.com/sports/panthers-release-defensive-end-wallace/article_4250fff6-aa0d-530e-9837-df8791a5fe55.html | title=Panthers release defensive end Wallace | accessdate=August 14, 2019}}</ref> He appeared for the Panthers in 80 regular season games and 7 postseason contests, while never missing a game.
On August 22, 2007, he was signed as a free agent by the Buffalo Bills, for depth purposes behind Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.buffalobills.com/news/bills-sign-de-wallace-262834 | title=Bills Sign DE Wallace | accessdate=August 14, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2007-08-23-0708230219-story.html | title=Transactions | accessdate=August 14, 2019}}</ref> On September 1, he was placed on the injured reserve list.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.buffalobills.com/news/bills-release-20-players-316430 | title=Bills Release 20 Players | accessdate=August 14, 2019}}</ref> He wasn't re-signed after the season. During his career he played in 96 games, posting 187 tackles (126 solo), 23 sacks and 4 interceptions.
==NFL career statistics== {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" ! colspan="2"| Legend |- | style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| | Led the league |- | '''Bold''' | Career high |}
===Regular season=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !rowspan="2"| Year !rowspan="2"| Team !colspan="2"| Games !colspan="4"| Tackles !colspan="4"| Interceptions !colspan="4"| Fumbles |- ! GP !! GS !! Comb !! Solo !! Ast !! Sck !! Int !! Yds !! TD !! Lng !! FF !! FR !! Yds !! TD |- ! 1997 !! PHI | 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- ! 1998 !! PHI | 15 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || '''6.0''' || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- ! 2002 !! CAR | 16 || 4 || 29 || 25 || 4 || 3.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || '''2''' || 0 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| '''1''' |- ! 2003 !! CAR | 16 || 2 || '''38''' || '''30''' || '''8''' || 5.0 || '''2''' || '''58''' || 0 || '''53''' || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 |- ! 2004 !! CAR | 16 || 0 || 26 || 23 || 3 || 1.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || '''2''' || 1 || 0 || 0 |- ! 2005 !! CAR | 16 || 2 || 25 || 20 || 5 || 5.0 || '''2''' || 38 || 0 || 38 || 1 || 1 || '''6''' || 0 |- ! 2006 !! CAR | 16 || 2 || 25 || 19 || 6 || 3.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- ! colspan="2"| !! 96 !! 10 !! 143 !! 117 !! 26 !! 23.0 !! 4 !! 96 !! 0 !! 53 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 1 |}
===Playoffs=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !rowspan="2"| Year !rowspan="2"| Team !colspan="2"| Games !colspan="4"| Tackles !colspan="4"| Interceptions !colspan="4"| Fumbles |- ! GP !! GS !! Comb !! Solo !! Ast !! Sck !! Int !! Yds !! TD !! Lng !! FF !! FR !! Yds !! TD |- ! 2003 !! CAR | 4 || 0 || '''9''' || '''4''' || '''5''' || '''1.5''' || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- ! 2005 !! CAR | 3 || 0 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- ! colspan="2"| !! 7 !! 0 !! 11 !! 5 !! 6 !! 1.5 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 |}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wallace, Al}} Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from Delray Beach, Florida Category:American football defensive ends Category:Maryland Terrapins football players Category:Jacksonville Jaguars players Category:Philadelphia Eagles players Category:Carolina Panthers players Category:Buffalo Bills players