This news was originally known almost three months ago, but it didn’t become NFL-official until Monday.
Since it’s after June 1, the positive salary cap implications of this retirement are into effect now.
Those rules are the reason that defensive tackle Michael Pierce announced his retirement in early March but didn’t have that as his official NFL status until June 2.
Holding off on the official designation allowed the Ravens to push $1.33 million into 2026 cap space.
Pierce started and ended his career with the Ravens.
He played 60 games in Baltimore from 2016-2019. From there, he joined the Vikings but struggled in three seasons.
That’s when the Ravens took their chance and brought Pierce back. He started all 17 games in 2023 but was a little less durable in both 2022 and 2024.
Regardless, Pierce wasn’t a bad guy to have around.
He’s currently the heaviest player in NFL history to record an interception.
Pierce may now pass the torch to new Buccaneers defensive lineman Desmond Watson, who checks in at somewhere around 450 pounds.
But they won’t soon forget Pierce in Ravens country. He was too big and too influential for that to happen.
