Longtime Baltimore Ravens nose tackle and fan favorite Michael Pierce is hanging up the cleats after a nine-year career.
During an appearance on the Sports Spectrum podcast co-hosted by former NFL star running back Matt Forte and Jason Romano, Michael Pierce announced that he’s retiring from football.
“Just going through the grind, man, and just being satisfied where I am…I just decided to call it a career. So, it’s been a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful nine years. I’ve had so many people help me along the way.”
The 6-foot-tall, 355-pound Pierce was built like few other NFL players. He was small in height compared to most other defensive linemen, but Pierce’s 355-pound frame, strength and athleticism made him a matchup nightmare for opposing offensive linemen.
Despite a strong showing at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine, the Samford product went undrafted. The Ravens signed a then-23-year-old Pierce as an undrafted free agent, and he appeared in all 16 games during his rookie season.
After four years in Baltimore, Pierce signed a three-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings in 2020 free agency. He sat out that year due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic before returning to the field in 2021 to debut with the NFC North club.
The Vikings released Michael Pierce in the 2022 offseason, and he returned to the Ravens on a multi-year deal in free agency. In 99 career game appearances, Pierce tallied 9.5 sacks, one interception, six pass breakups, and three forced fumbles.
Baltimore reached the postseason five times during Pierce’s two stints with the organization (2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024), including a trip to last year’s AFC Championship Game.
Ravens Lose Another Impact Player In Michael Pierce
The Ravens have been surprisingly quiet in free agency, with 32-year-old wideout DeAndre Hopkins marking the organization’s biggest addition thus far.
Baltimore lost veteran offensive lineman Patrick Mekari (Jacksonville Jaguars), cornerback Brandon Stephens (New York Jets) and linebacker Malik Harrison (New York Giants) in free agency. With Michael Pierce retiring, GM Eric DeCosta has another roster void that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.
