Baltimore Ravens nose tackle Michael Pierce announces his retirement

After forging an NFL career as an undrafted rookie from Samford, Baltimore Ravens nose tackle Michael Pierce announced his retirement on Wednesday.

The former Daphne High School star had one season left on a two-year, $7.5 million contract extension and was due a $1.255 base salary in 2025. Pierce made the retirement announcement during an appearance on the Sports Spectrum podcast.

“After nine seasons, after much prayer, talked to my family, just going through the grind, man, and just being satisfied where I am, looking forward to doing things in life, I decided to call it a career,” Pierce said. “It’s been a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful nine years. I’ve had so many people help me along the way. I’d like to thank a few people personally. Obviously, my lord and savior Jesus Christ first and foremost. I go to my dad, who sacrificed so much for me to even be here, down to moving high schools down in Mobile so I could play. He believed in me that much, so thank you to my dad for the sacrifices he made not only for myself but for our family. Thankful to my wife for her amazing, amazing support.

“And then we can go down to (former Ravens general manager) Ozzie Newsome, who gave me a start out of Samford, an undrafted kid. Not a lot of people felt that I could play, but Ozzie and his staff, coach Joe Cullen was my first D-line coach. They gave me a chance when not many people were willing to take a chance on me. So I’m grateful to them. I’m grateful for Mr. (Eric) DeCosta (Baltimore’s current general manager) for bringing me back for my second stint in Baltimore. Obviously, (Ravens) coach (John) Harbaugh, and the list can go on and on. I’d like to give a special shoutout to Miss Valerie, who was like a mother to me – one of our secretaries in the front office in Baltimore.

“And just all of my teammates. Obviously, Lamar Jackson and all of those guys – Kyle Van Noy, one of my best friends; Brent Urban, the list can go on and on. But I would be remiss if I didn’t shout out two of my big brothers – Terrell Suggs and Brandon Williams. If they didn’t have confidence in me, I probably wouldn’t have had confidence in myself. I’m super grateful to all those people, and I thanked a lot of other people before I left the building. But those deserved a special, special shoutout.”

Pierce was an All-State linebacker for Daphne’s AHSAA Class 6A championship team in 2010. The 2010 Trojans had four other players who reached NFL rosters — Ryan Anderson, Eric Lee, Torren McGaster and T.J. Yeldon.

Pierce won the Most Valuable Player Award in the 2010 state-championship game as Daphne capped a 15-0 campaign with a 7-6 victory over Hoover.

“The first high school that I went to, they didn’t believe that I could play,” Pierce said. “I ended up winning the state championship, Player of the Year and all of this other stuff. But my dad saw something in me and had enough faith in me.

“Obviously – well, I can’t say obviously. One, I’m a pastor’s kid. My dad’s a pastor. He’s big on faith. We’re in the middle of the Bible Belt. A lot of people don’t understand that. Where we’re from, you’ll find a Waffle House on every corner and probably a church – deep down South in Mobile. God has just allowed me to escape obstacles that most people wouldn’t. Most people’s parents can’t just pick up and move them 40 miles away so they can play in a game, just live a high school dream not knowing what’s to come in the future.”

Pierce joined the Ravens from Samford in 2016. He made the team as an undrafted rookie, played in every game, then went into the starting lineup in his second season.

After four seasons with Baltimore, Pierce left in free agency for the Minnesota Vikings. He opted out of the 2020 season under the NFL’s plan to play during the coronavirus pandemic, and an injury limited him to eight games in 2021.

Released by Minnesota after the 2021 season, Pierce returned to Baltimore on a three-year contract. But a torn biceps knocked him out for the season after three games.

With the Ravens seeking salary-cap space and Pierce having 11 games to show for the previous three seasons, the defensive lineman took a pay cut in a renegotiated contract in March that allowed him to become a free agent a year earlier.

But after starting all 17 regular-season games and both playoff contests n 2023, Pierce re-signed with the Ravens before the 2024 season.

Pierce said he tore a quadriceps muscle last offseason, then he missed five games in the second half of the 2024 season with a calf injury.

“I found joy in my job,” Pierce said. “I love my job. But once you’re in those trenches for so long and those injuries start to mount up, you’re kind of trying to prevent the next one, so instead of walking on that field with joy toward the end of that season last year, I was more so like, ‘OK, I don’t need to get hurt any.’ You don’t want to play without that childlike joy, without that excitement.

“I promised my wife after having my biceps surgery in ’22, if I tore something else or if I needed surgery on something else, I was going to be done. I’m grateful for everything God has blessed me with, and, like I said, it’s been a true joy.”

In 99 NFL regular-season games, Pierce recorded 238 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, six pass breakups, three forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries. He also intercepted one pass.

Pierce intercepted a pass by Cleveland Browns quarterback Bailey Zappe during the Ravens’ 35-10 victory on Jan. 4.

“The interception was my notice from God,” Pierce said. “It’s time to go home. Seeing as that was my last regular home season game on an amazing note, it can’t get no better than that, in my eyes.”

According to profootballreference.com, only two other players who can match Pierce’s roster weight of 355 pounds have intercepted passes.

“I got the game ball, I got the actual interception ball,” Pierce said. “I am erecting a man cave in the home we’re renovating. That’s going to be front and center, brother. We got a spot for both of those.”

Pierce also played in six NFL postseason games.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.