Ravens nose tackle Michael Pierce announces his retirement

Ravens nose tackle Michael Pierce has announced his retirement.

"After nine seasons, after much prayer, talking to my family, going through the grind and being satisfied where I am, looking forward to other things in my life, I've decided to call it a career," said on the Sports Spectrum podcast.

The 32year-old Pierce originally signed with the Ravens as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2016. He played in Baltimore until 2019, then played the 2020 and 2021 seasons in Minnesota, then returned to Baltimore in 2022. Last year Pierce played in 11 games, with one start.

For many fans, Pierce's most memorable moment will be the last snap he played in his final regular-season game, when he intercepted a pass from Browns quarterback Bailey Zappe and delighted teammates and fans with the sight of a 355-pound ball carrier, until Pierce decided to just go down and celebrate that he had clinched the Ravens' win.