Samford University Athletics

Michael Pierce was a force on the defensive line during his time on the Samford football team from 2013 to 2015. He came to Samford from Tulane in 2013 and helped lead the Bulldogs to a share of the Southern Conference title and a bid to the NCAA Division I-FCS Playoffs. In 2014 he was named second team All-SoCon, and he earned first-team honors in 2015. Pierce signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He played with the Ravens from 2016 to 2019, starting on their defensive line. He then spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, before returning to the  Ravens for the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons. For his NFL career, Pierce had 238 total tackles and 9.5 sacks. He also recovered six fumbles and intercepted one pass.