Contributor
The San Francisco 49ers waived quarterback Seneca Wallace, amid reports that the veteran had planned on retiring.
Well, at least that's the way the 49ers tell it. Wallace tells it a different way.
He says that he wasn't a fit in San Francisco and that he's still willing to play if a team takes a chance on him. He also told reporters that he was used by the 49ers to get Colt McCoy to take a pay cut.
“I have not retired. I have just removed myself from the San Francisco situation because it wasn’t a perfect fit for me. I’ve been around this game long enough where I can see what’s going on,” Wallace said, “and I realized right away the reason they brought me here was to get Colt to take a pay cut.
“San Francisco wasn’t the best place for me. I have no hard feelings toward San Francisco. It’s just the nature of the business.”
49ers coach Jim Harbaugh had announced that Wallace was retiring before the team's final preseason game against the San Diego Chargers. Wallace did not travel with the team.
“It’s something that was his decision,” Harbaugh said. “He felt strongly about it. I don’t talk people out of that. I’ve never seen it done on game day, but I wish him well.”
Wallace seemed to be caught off guard by Harbaugh's assumption that he was retiring.
“For him to come out and say that, ‘Hey, Seneca’s planning on his retirement’ ... I don’t think that’s even 100 percent fair for him to come out and say that because I don’t even know him. I think that should be my decision.”
In the meantime, Wallace will take a wait-and-see approach with his future. He still would like to play, and with the way quarterbacks get injured nowadays, he could find himself back in the game in no time during the season.
