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.
Baltimore Ravens (first stint) On May 3, 2016, Pierce signed with the
Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent. 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. On March 9, 2019, the Ravens placed a second-round restricted free agent tender on Pierce. On May 1, the Ravens re-signed Pierce.
Minnesota Vikings On March 25, 2020, Pierce signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the
Minnesota Vikings. 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. 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. Pierce was activated on December 4. Pierce was released on March 15, 2022.
Baltimore Ravens (second stint) On March 17, 2022, Pierce signed a three-year, $16.5 million contract with the Ravens. He suffered a torn biceps in Week 3 and was placed on season-ending injured reserve on September 29. 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. In 2025, Pierce recorded his first career interception late in the fourth quarter during Baltimore's season finale against the
Cleveland Browns. At 355 pounds, Pierce became the heaviest NFL player to record an interception since at least 2000. In 11 appearances for Baltimore, Pierce recorded 1 interception, 2 pass deflections, 2.0 sacks, and 19 combined tackles. On March 12, 2025, Pierce announced his retirement from the NFL. ==NFL career statistics==