Antonio Pierce
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Antonio Pierce | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | October 26, 1978 (age 28) |
| Place of birth |  Long Beach, California |
| Position(s) | Linebacker |
| College | University of Arizona |
| Pro Bowls | 2007 |
| Team(s) | |
| 2001-2004 2005-current |
Washington Redskins New York Giants |
Antonio Pierce (born October 26, 1978 in Long Beach, California) is a middle linebacker on the NFL's New York Giants. Pierce stands 6'1" and weighs 240 lb. He played his high school football at Paramount High School in Paramount, CA. He played two years of football at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, California, before transferring to the University of Arizona. As a senior at the University of Arizona, he had 3 sacks, 77 tackles (10 for losses), 2 forced fumbles, 1 interception,and 1 blocked kick. Pierce was not taken in the NFL draft in 2001 after his senior year at Arizona. Many NFL scouts considered him too undersized to play linebacker in the NFL, but Pierce was determined to bulk up and sign an undrafted rookie contract.
The Washington Redskins signed him as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2001. He played in all 16 games as a rookie, with 7 starts. He recorded 52 tackles and one interception during his rookie campaign. Over the next two seasons, Pierce played sporadically, recording only 18 and 15 tackles respectively, during the 2002 and 2003 seasons. It wasn't until the 2004 season, his fourth in the league, that he played a full season replacing the injured Micheal Barrow.That season Pierce logged a career high 114 tackles, 95 of them solo. He also had two interceptions, one of which was a pick off Ken Dorsey that he returned 76 yards for a touchdown, and a forced fumble.
The New York Giants signed him on March 3, 2005 to start at inside linebacker. He became the captain of the defense, and in 13 games, Pierce notched 100 tackles, 80 of them solo, two interceptions and one forced fumble returned for a touchdown. His 2005 season ended early as he suffered a leg injury, against the Philadelphia Eagles, and missed the final three regular season games and the Giants only postseason game, a 23-0 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Antonio worked hard in the offseason to return to form. He continued his hard work in the gym and in the film room. In 2006, he played at a high level from start to finish. He recorded 137 tackles (107 solo), a sack, an interception, and defended 8 passes. Pierce was named as the first alternate MLB for the Pro Bowl. He was invited to play in Hawaii after Brian Urlacher suffered a toe injury in Super Bowl XLI, and withdrew from the Pro Bowl.
