Former Vikings Defender Announces Retirement
The trenches have been the focus for Vikings fans for quite some time, but this year, the front office has shared that focus. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has already agreed to terms with offensive linemen Ryan Kelly and Will Fries to bolster the pass protection.
Former Vikings Defender Announces Retirement
On the defensive line, Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave are supposed to make an impact. They can rush the passer, which is a sweet development compared to the run-stuffers the Vikings usually employ on their defensive front.
Among those was Michael Pierce, who spent his entire career in purple, first with the Baltimore Ravens, then with the Vikings, and then again with the Ravens.
He appeared on the Sports Spectrum Podcast on Wednesday, announcing his retirement.
“After nine seasons, after much prayer, talking to my family, just going through the grind, man, and just being satisfied where I am, looking forward to doing other things in life, I just decided to call it a career. It’s been a beautiful, beautiful nine years.”
He did thank the Ravens and a bunch of people from the AFC franchise; the Vikings didn’t get a shoutout.
His tenure with the Vikings surely wasn’t the easiest of times. He signed with the club in 2020, right when the pandemic started to make more noise. Ultimately, he decided to opt out of the 2020 season, primarily because of respiratory issues he has been dealing with since childhood.
He later voiced his regrets, but at the time, with all the uncertainty surrounding the situation and his pre-existing health issues, his decision was and still is understandable.
In April of 2021, he said, “There were, for sure, many times where I would say, ‘Dang, I could’ve been out there.’ A hundred and ten percent, I felt like, especially as the weeks went on and the NFL got more adept with dealing with the COVID situation, I for sure regretted it to an extent.”
Pierce returned to the field in 2021. He was initially planned to immediately replace departed defensive tackle Linval Joseph and provide more youth to the defensive line.
Unfortunately, year two with the Vikings would turn out to be another disappointment. Pierce sustained an elbow injury early in the season, missed a few games, and was then placed on IR. In two years in Minnesota, Pierce logged only a total of eight games. He made 20 tackles and three sacks along the way.
When the new regime around Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell arrived, they released him and added Harrison Phillips to take his role. Pierce returned to Baltimore.
In his eight-year career, Pierce played in 99 contests, which is quite remarkable for an undrafted player. He was never in the running for any personal accolades or big statistics, but he sure was one of the top run defenders in the league for a long time.
Last season, he came into national focus when he secured an interception as one of the biggest players ever.
Pierce, 32, can now begin a new chapter.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt