Seneca Wallace
Encyclopedia
Seneca Isayha Wallace is an American football
quarterback
for the Cleveland Browns
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks
in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Iowa State
.
, and was a letterman in football and basketball
. In basketball, he won All-Sierra Conference honors and All-Sacramento honorable mention honors.
in order to stay close to home at his mother's request. He transferred to Iowa State University
for his junior and senior year.
Wallace received widespread notice in 2002 while with the Iowa State Cyclones
in a play known affectionately to some as "The Run," in which he ran for a 12-yard touchdown
versus Texas Tech
. However, his actual amount of running in this play was estimated at over 120 yards (some sources claim it was actually 130 or more), as he dodged tackles
and ran parallel to the end zone
while receiving numerous blocks from his offense
. While quarterbacking the Cyclones in 2001 and 2002, he threw 26 touchdowns and 27 interceptions.
out of Iowa State University
. It is widely thought his draft value dropped because of his insistence that he play quarterback for the team, rather than Antwaan Randle El
-type wide receiver
. Intrigued by his athleticism, the Seahawks gave him that chance. Wallace made his mark in the 2005 NFL Playoffs
when he caught an acrobatic 28 yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck
in the NFC Championship game against the Carolina Panthers
' Ken Lucas.
In 2006, Wallace started
in four games as quarterback after an injury to Hasselbeck's right knee. Under his leadership, the team won two games and lost two. His passer rating
was 76.2 for the 2006 season, passing just under 1000 yards, throwing 8 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.
In 2007, Mike Holmgren
began using Wallace as a wide receiver in limited formations. By week seven Wallace had caught two passes, run two end arounds, and thrown an incomplete pass on an end around option pass.
In 2008, Wallace started two pre-season games at quarterback and had good statistics against Minnesota
and Oakland
. After injuries to wide receivers hurt the Seahawks, Wallace was moved to that position, but strained a calf
in his first game.
After the injury of Matt Hasselbeck
, he returned as a starter in week seven of the season at Tampa Bay
, where the team lost 20-10. The next week, he led his team to a 34-13 win over San Francisco
. In week 9, Wallace threw for the longest touchdown pass in Seahawks franchise history with a 90-yard completion to Koren Robinson
in the Seahawks' first play from scrimmage. However, the Seahawks lost to the Philadelphia Eagles
, 26-7. Wallace played again in the 21-19 road loss to the Miami Dolphins
in week ten. Hasselbeck was cleared by team doctors to play and was the starter again for week 11. Because of another injury to Hasselbeck, Wallace started in week 14 against the New England Patriots
, where he threw 20 completions in 28 attempts for 212 yards and three touchdowns. His passer rating for the game was 128.9. He also ran for 47 yards on three carries. However, a lost fumble by Wallace late in the fourth quarter led to a 24-21 Seahawks loss. The following week, he captured his second win as a starter as the Seahawks beat the Rams 23-20 at the Edward Jones Dome
. Hasselbeck returned from injury, but Wallace remained the starter for the rest of the season. Wallace had another good performance in a victory against the New York Jets
in week 16, but lost to the eventual NFC champion Arizona Cardinals
in week 17.
injured his ankle during a week 1 loss to Tampa Bay. He would go on to start the next four games before suffering a high ankle sprain during week 5 versus Atlanta. On March 3, 2011, Wallace signed a three-year deal with the Browns.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones football
The Iowa State Cyclones football team represents Iowa State University in college football. The Cyclones compete in the Big 12 Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. ISU started playing football in 1892, however, it did not become an official sport until 1894...
.
Early years
Wallace attended Cordova High School in Rancho Cordova, CaliforniaRancho Cordova, California
Rancho Cordova is a city in Sacramento County, California, USA, that incorporated in 2003. It is part of the Sacramento Metropolitan Area. The population was 64,776 at the 2010 census. Rancho Cordova is the Sacramento area's largest employment sub-center, with a daily influx of over 45,000...
, and was a letterman in football and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. In basketball, he won All-Sierra Conference honors and All-Sacramento honorable mention honors.
College career
Wallace attended Sacramento City CollegeSacramento City College
Sacramento City College is a two-year community college located in Sacramento, California. SCC is part of the Los Rios Community College District and had an enrollment of 25,307 in 2009. Sacramento City College is officially accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges , offering...
in order to stay close to home at his mother's request. He transferred to Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
for his junior and senior year.
Wallace received widespread notice in 2002 while with the Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones are the athletic teams of Iowa State University. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.*Men's sports...
in a play known affectionately to some as "The Run," in which he ran for a 12-yard touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
versus Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Texas Tech Red Raiders are the athletic teams that represent Texas Tech University . The women's basketball team uses the name Lady Raiders; however, the school's other women's teams use the "Red Raiders" name. The university's athletic program fields teams in 15 varsity sports and 30 club sports...
. However, his actual amount of running in this play was estimated at over 120 yards (some sources claim it was actually 130 or more), as he dodged tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
and ran parallel to the end zone
End zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...
while receiving numerous blocks from his offense
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
. While quarterbacking the Cyclones in 2001 and 2002, he threw 26 touchdowns and 27 interceptions.
Seattle Seahawks
He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
out of Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
. It is widely thought his draft value dropped because of his insistence that he play quarterback for the team, rather than Antwaan Randle El
Antwaan Randle El
Antwaan Randle El is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He attended Indiana University, after turning down a Major League Baseball draft selection by the Chicago Cubs in 1997...
-type wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
. Intrigued by his athleticism, the Seahawks gave him that chance. Wallace made his mark in the 2005 NFL Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 2005-06
The National Football League playoffs for the 2005 season began on January 7, 2006 and led up to Super Bowl XL on February 5, 2006 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan....
when he caught an acrobatic 28 yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck
Matt Hasselbeck
Matthew Michael Hasselbeck is a National Football League quarterback for the Tennessee Titans. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft, and traded to Seattle in 2001. After becoming the starter in 2003, Hasselbeck led Seattle to six playoff appearances and...
in the NFC Championship game against the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
' Ken Lucas.
In 2006, Wallace started
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
in four games as quarterback after an injury to Hasselbeck's right knee. Under his leadership, the team won two games and lost two. His passer rating
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
was 76.2 for the 2006 season, passing just under 1000 yards, throwing 8 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.
In 2007, Mike Holmgren
Mike Holmgren
Michael George Holmgren is a former professional football coach and current President of the Cleveland Browns. He served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998, and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 to 2008...
began using Wallace as a wide receiver in limited formations. By week seven Wallace had caught two passes, run two end arounds, and thrown an incomplete pass on an end around option pass.
In 2008, Wallace started two pre-season games at quarterback and had good statistics against Minnesota
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and Oakland
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. After injuries to wide receivers hurt the Seahawks, Wallace was moved to that position, but strained a calf
Calf (anatomy)
In human anatomy the calf is the back portion of the lower leg . In terms of muscle systems, the calf corresponds to the posterior compartment of the leg. Within the posterior compartment, the two largest muscles are known together as the calf muscle and attach to the heel via the Achilles tendon...
in his first game.
After the injury of Matt Hasselbeck
Matt Hasselbeck
Matthew Michael Hasselbeck is a National Football League quarterback for the Tennessee Titans. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft, and traded to Seattle in 2001. After becoming the starter in 2003, Hasselbeck led Seattle to six playoff appearances and...
, he returned as a starter in week seven of the season at Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
, where the team lost 20-10. The next week, he led his team to a 34-13 win over San Francisco
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. In week 9, Wallace threw for the longest touchdown pass in Seahawks franchise history with a 90-yard completion to Koren Robinson
Koren Robinson
Koren Lynard Robinson is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Seahawks ninth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at North Carolina State....
in the Seahawks' first play from scrimmage. However, the Seahawks lost to the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 26-7. Wallace played again in the 21-19 road loss to the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in week ten. Hasselbeck was cleared by team doctors to play and was the starter again for week 11. Because of another injury to Hasselbeck, Wallace started in week 14 against the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, where he threw 20 completions in 28 attempts for 212 yards and three touchdowns. His passer rating for the game was 128.9. He also ran for 47 yards on three carries. However, a lost fumble by Wallace late in the fourth quarter led to a 24-21 Seahawks loss. The following week, he captured his second win as a starter as the Seahawks beat the Rams 23-20 at the Edward Jones Dome
Edward Jones Dome
The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome (more formally known as the Edward Jones Dome at America's Center, and previously known as The Trans World Dome (from 1995–2001) is a multi-purpose stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, and home of the St. Louis Rams of the NFL. It was...
. Hasselbeck returned from injury, but Wallace remained the starter for the rest of the season. Wallace had another good performance in a victory against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in week 16, but lost to the eventual NFC champion Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in week 17.
2010
On March 8, 2010 Wallace was traded to the Cleveland Browns for a conditional pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. With this trade, Wallace was reunited with his former Seattle coach and current Browns president Mike Holmgren. He made his regular season debut September 12, 2010 after starting quarterback Jake DelhommeJake Delhomme
Jake Christopher Delhomme is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Delhomme played college football at Louisiana-Lafayette before being signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997...
injured his ankle during a week 1 loss to Tampa Bay. He would go on to start the next four games before suffering a high ankle sprain during week 5 versus Atlanta. On March 3, 2011, Wallace signed a three-year deal with the Browns.