Tylan Wallace Goes the From the Bottom to the Top Delivering Walk-Off Win…
Tylan Wallace collapsed on a Ravens sideline bench as fans were leaving M&T Bank Stadium, following the players’ celebration of their team’s thrilling walk-off overtime victory, which ended in a wild 37-31 victory.
For one thing, he was tired – not only after sprinting, spinning, and stumbling his way to a 76-yard punt return for a touchdown, but after being mobbed by his teammates afterwards. Secondly, he wanted to savor the moment.
Wallace wasn’t even supposed to be the punt returner. He was the backup to Pro Bowler Devin Duvernay, who suffered a back injury in the first half. Wallace had never even returned a punt in his three-year NFL career.
On top of that, he had earlier in the game committed a brutal penalty when he lined up offsides on a Rams punt, giving them a free first down they later turned into a touchdown.
And yet, there he was, relied upon in wet circumstances during a match that resembled two top teams battling it out in the closing moments, triumphing for his side. It was his first regular-season touchdown in three years, and in a way, it was his first time being the focus of attention.
“Moments like this don’t …” Wallace said, trailing off. “You could say it’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment to be able to sit down and soak that all in while catching my breath at the same time.”
Wallace was a fourth-round pick in 2021, an ultra-productive receiver out of Oklahoma State. But he’s been buried on the Ravens’ wide receiver pecking order so far in his career. Thus, he’s made a living on special teams.
“They were telling me, ‘You know, it happens. Penalties happen,'” Wallace said. “Obviously, you don’t want it to happen too often, but just wipe that away. … I appreciate them for believing in me to be back there to make plays for the team.”
The Rams’ punt returner had already muffed two punts earlier in the game due to wet conditions. Wallace only gets a handful of punt return reps in practice each week and had made the mistake earlier in the game, which could rattle any player, especially one on the back end of the 53-man roster. But the Ravens stuck with Wallace.
“Tylan – here’s a veteran player, fourth-year guy who’s been through it. We just felt like – it wasn’t a conscious thing – we just felt like he deserved it,” Harbaugh said. “He was ready for that moment. Now, did [we] think he was going to take it back to the house? No, but I thought he’d catch it [and] maybe make a guy miss.”
Wallace did a lot more than that. After making the catch, he took off to his left and caught a block from tight end Charlie Kolar, who hit college roommate and good friend Jacob Hummel. Kolar thought there was a chance it would be called blocking in the back, but no flag.
Then Wallace spun off a tackle by Rams running back Royce Freeman. He scampered up the sideline and lowered his shoulder to fend off a tackle by Rams long snapper Alex Ward. Then Rams defensive back Shaun Jolly dove at Wallace’s ankles and got a piece, making Wallace start to stumble.
“I was about to go down, [but I thought] I can’t go down right here. I made it this far,” Wallace said. “I’m like, ‘I have to keep going. I have to stay up.'”
When Wallace did get to the Ravens locker room, his teammates were waiting with water bottles to dump on his head, setting off a whole-team dance and capped with a hug from Harbaugh.
“For everything you’ve done, everything you’ve fought for, all the hardship right there, man,” Harbaugh said.
Last week, during the Ravens’ bye, Wallace bought his mother a new Mercedes SUV. He had been waiting three years to make that magic happen for her. On Sunday, he made his own magic with the biggest play of his NFL career so far.
“That was a game,” Wallace told his group. “We persisted in fighting and moving forward despite all the ups and downs. You guys saved me, dude. Man up next. All I can say is that I’m glad I can help this team. I am grateful to each and every one of you.”