Michael Pierce (American football)

Last updated

Michael Pierce
No. 58 – Baltimore Ravens
Position: Nose tackle
Personal information
Born: (1992-11-06) November 6, 1992 (age 32)
Daphne, Alabama, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:355 lb (161 kg)
Career information
High school: Daphne
College:
Undrafted: 2016
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2024
Total tackles:238
Sacks:9.5
Forced fumbles:3
Fumble recoveries:6
Pass deflections:5
Pass interceptions:1
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Michael Pierce (born November 6, 1992) is an American professional football nose tackle for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Tulane before transferring to Samford and was signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2016, where he spent the next four seasons. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2020 and played there for two seasons before returning to the Ravens in 2022.

Contents

Professional career

Pre-draft

Pierce was not invited to the NFL combine. At his Pro Day, he ran 10 meter split faster than any defensive lineman at the combine (1.67 vs Alex McCalister's 1.68) and performed a broad jump inside the Top 15 for defensive lineman. [1] [2]

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 0+3⁄8 in
(1.84 m)		329 lb
(149 kg)		31+5⁄8 in
(0.80 m)		9+5⁄8 in
(0.24 m)		5.01 s1.67 s2.84 s27 in
(0.69 m)		9 ft 7 in
(2.92 m)		28 reps
All values from Pro Day [3]

Baltimore Ravens

On May 3, 2016, Pierce signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent. [4] As a rookie in the 2016 season, Pierce appeared in all 16 games and finished the season with 35 tackles, two sacks, and one pass defended. On September 10, in the 2017 season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, Pierce recovered a Terrell Suggs-forced fumble, which came off of quarterback Andy Dalton, in the 20–0 victory. [5] On March 9, 2019, the Ravens placed a second-round restricted free agent tender on Pierce. [6] On May 1, the Ravens re-signed Pierce. [7]

Minnesota Vikings

On March 25, 2020, Pierce signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings. [8] [9] On July 28, Pierce announced he would opt out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was placed on the reserve/opt-out list by the Vikings. [10]

Pierce returned in 2021 as a starting defensive tackle. He started the first four games before suffering an elbow injury in Week 4. He missed the next four games before being placed on injured reserve on November 13, 2021. [11] Pierce was activated on December 4. [12]

Pierce was released on March 15, 2022. [13]

Baltimore Ravens (second stint)

On March 17, 2022, Pierce signed a three-year, $16.5 million contract with the Ravens. [14] He suffered a torn biceps in Week 3 and was placed on season-ending injured reserve on September 29. [15]

Pierce entered the 2023 season as the starting nose tackle for the Ravens. On January 6, 2024, he signed a two-year, $7.5 million contract extension through the 2025 season. [16]

In 2024, Pierce recorded his first career interception late in the fourth quarter during Baltimore's season finale against the Cleveland Browns. [17] At 355 pounds, Pierce became the heaviest NFL player to record an interception since at least 2000. [18]

NFL career statistics

Regular season statistics
YearTeamGamesTacklesInterceptionsFumbles
GPGSCombSoloAstSckTFLPDIntYdsAvgLngTDFFFRYdsTD
2016 BAL 1613519162.051000000000
2017 BAL 16134932171.020000000200
2018 BAL 1423220120.011000000100
2019 BAL 14143519160.520000000120
2020 MIN 00Opted out due to Covid-19
2021 MIN 88201283.030000001000
2022 BAL 336420.000000001000
2023 BAL 17174224181.012000001200
2024 BAL 111196132.022166.0600000
Career99592381361029.5206166.0003620

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References

  1. ↑ "Alex McCalister". NFLDraftScout.com. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  2. ↑ "NFL Combine Top DL". NFL.com. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Michael Pierce, Samford, DT, 2016 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Ravens Sign 11 Undrafted Rookie Free Agents". baltimoreravens.com. Archived from the original on October 10, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals - September 10th, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved October 6, 2017.
  6. ↑ Platko, Frank (March 9, 2019). "Ravens expected to give DT Michael Pierce a second-round tender". Baltimore Beatdown. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  7. ↑ Ulrich, Logan (May 1, 2019). "Ravens Re-Sign RFA DT Michael Pierce". NFLTradeRumors.co. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  8. ↑ Shaffer, Jonas (March 18, 2020). "Former Ravens defensive tackle Michael Pierce reportedly agrees to three-year deal with Vikings".
  9. ↑ Young, Lindsey (March 18, 2020). "Vikings Agree to Terms to Sign Former Ravens DT Michael Pierce". Vikings.com.
  10. ↑ "Vikings Announce Roster Moves". Vikings.com. July 28, 2020. Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  11. ↑ Smith, Eric (November 13, 2021). "Vikings Place Michael Pierce on Injured Reserve; Elevate 2 to Active Roster". Vikings.com.
  12. ↑ Peters, Craig (December 4, 2021). "Vikings Activate Pierce, Downgrade Kendricks on Injury Report". Vikings.com.
  13. ↑ "Vikings Released Defensive Tackle Michael Pierce". Vikings.com. March 15, 2022.
  14. ↑ Brown, Clifton (March 17, 2022). "Michael Pierce Agrees to Terms on Three-Year Contract With Ravens". BaltimoreRavens.com.
  15. ↑ Brown, Clifton (September 29, 2022). "Michael Pierce Has Season-Ending Surgery, Placed on IR". BaltimoreRavens.com.
  16. ↑ Alper, Josh (January 6, 2024). "Report: Michael Pierce agrees to two-year extension with Ravens". Pro Football Talk. NBC Sports.
  17. ↑ "Highlight: Big Man Pick! Michael Pierce Snags His First Career Interception". www.baltimoreravens.com. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  18. ↑ Baer, Jake (January 4, 2025). "Ravens players lose it after 355-pound DT Michael Pierce's INT: 'The most crazy, amazing play in NFL history'". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
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