Orlando Pirates

D.J Dale returns for a second season. In 12 games last year, Dale made 10 starts and posted 18 tackles, including 8 tackles for a loss. He had 4.5 sacks and broke up one pass.

A former Alabama defensive lineman, D.J. Dale, joined the Pirates in January of 2005. Dale had previously signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in May of 2023. He was fighting for one of the final roster spots, but an injury sustained in the August 20 preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers did not help his chances. He was waived nine days later.

The 6’3”, 300 lb. defensive tackle played four years at the University of Alabama and was a member of the Crimson Tide’s National Championship team in 2020.

Dale arrived in Tuscaloosa in 2019 and earned a starting position before the season began. He played in ten games before suffering an injury. 

In 2020, he recorded 22 tackles, including a career high of six against the Georgia Bulldogs. He started in the 52-24 National Championship victory over Ohio State on January 11, 2021, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. 
 
In 2021, Dale, a native of Birmingham, AL, helped the Tide to a return trip to the National Championship game vs. Georgia.  He notched a pair of tackles in a losing effort. As a senior, he played in 12 more contests, including a victory over Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl. Dale also played in the 2023 Senior Bowl. 

Dale finished his collegiate career making 74 tackles in 48 games. He had 11.5 tackles for a loss with 5.5 sacks. Dale also defended three passes and recovered three fumbles.