Much like he decided to take a knee after making his first interception rather than becoming a meme, Ravens nose tackle Michael Pierce has decided to go out while he’s at the top of his game.

Pierce, who was a key part of the Ravens’ league-best run defense, announced his retirement Wednesday on the “Sports Spectrum Podcast.”

“After nine seasons, after much prayer, talking to my family, just going through the grind and being satisfied where I am, looking forward to doing other things in life, I just decided to call it a career,” Pierce said. “So it’s been a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful nine years.”

Pierce became famous across the NFL after he recorded his first interception in the Ravens’ 2024 regular-season finale against the Cleveland Browns. The 355-pound lineman became the heaviest player to make an interception since at least 2000, and the only thing funnier than the sight of him snagging the ball and going to the ground were the quotes from him afterward.

“There’s a long history of turning big-guy interceptions and fumbles into memes, so at the risk of turning myself into one of those, I decided it was just time to go home,” Pierce said. “Plus, I was out of gas, so it was good.”

But, in the Ravens’ facility, Pierce was well known for for his jovial smile as much as his fearsome defense.

A nine-year NFL veteran, Pierce is one of the Ravens’ success stories. An undrafted rookie, he made the most of the opportunity the team gave him. Former Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome was the first person he thanked, outside of God and his family, when he gave shoutouts on the podcast.

Newsome was at the head of the draft table in 2016 when all 32 teams passed on the defensive tackle out of Samford. Although Newsome was one of those who decided not to use a draft pick on Pierce, he gave him a chance by signing the undrafted rookie.

“I guess not a lot of people felt that I could play, but Ozzie and his staff, coach Joe Cullen was my first D-line coach, they gave me a chance when not many people were willing to take a chance on me,” Pierce said.

Pierce played 16 games his rookie season. By his second season, he started 13 of the 16 games he played. He was a key run stuffer, and he occasionally contributed with a pass rush, making a combined three sacks and seven quarterback hits over his first two seasons.

He said former Ravens nose tackle Brandon Williams and linebacker Terrell Suggs helped give him the confidence he needed as an undrafted rookie.

The Ravens tendered Pierce after his rookie contract was up, but 2019 started with a hiccup. When Pierce reported for his fourth season, coach John Harbaugh kept him out of training camp because he was too overweight “to practice from a safety standpoint.”

Missing practice didn’t hurt Pierce in the long run. He returned to the field and then started all 14 games he played that season.

When his contract was up, the Ravens would have liked to retain him. However, they couldn’t compete with the three-year, $27 million contract the Minnesota Vikings offered him. Or so they thought.

Pierce’s first year in Minnesota was affected by COVID-19. He sat out the 2020 season out. His second year in Minnesota was marred by injury. He played just eight games.

The Vikings released Pierce before his final season. And Baltimore scooped him back up. No one from Minnesota was included in Pierce’s list of shoutouts, but he mentioned current general manager Eric DeCosta, saying “I‘m grateful to Mr. DeCosta for bringing me back on my second stint in Baltimore.”

In Baltimore, Pierce reunited with his best friend from his first stint as a Raven, defensive end Brent Urban, who was one of three current Ravens who received a personal shoutout. Urban was also coming back for his second stint in Baltimore. The two referred to themselves as the “fun bunch,” always bringing smiles and jokes to the locker room and the sidelines.

Calais Campbell, Nnamdi Madubuike and Travis Jones rounded out the group. At 2022 training camp, Urban called it “the most talented D-line I’ve been a part of, on the interior.”

Pierce, whom former defensive line coach Anthony Weaver called “a bear,” wanted to focus on adding more to the pass rush, rather than just being a stout run defender. He also wanted to become more of a locker room leader.

From the field perspective, Pierce’s return did not go smoothly, at least initially. He looked great in training camp but had to be carted off the field in Week 3. He was out for the rest of the season.

But 2023 turned out to be the year. Pierce stayed healthy, starting 17 games, and helped the Ravens to a historically great defensive season. They made it to the AFC championship game before falling to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.

Last season, Pierce spent time on injured reserve because of a calf injury. He also took a step back as Jones, who is seven years his junior, started to gain more reps.

But Jones was also one of the young players Pierce wanted to help guide when he returned to Baltimore, and the younger player took huge strides in 2024. Despite reduced playing time, Pierce played a big role in the defense as it finished with a league-best 1,361 rushing yards allowed and 3.6 yards per carry allowed. He played 11 games with two sacks and four quarterback hits.

Overall, the Ravens ranked in the NFL’s top five run defenses in five of Pierce’s seven seasons with the team. Pierce finished his career with 238 tackles, 25 quarterback hits, 19 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, six passes defensed, three forced fumbles and an interception in 99 games.

Pierce’s career ended with a 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs. After the game, there were signs pointing toward his retirement. When asked in the locker room if he had one more year left on his contract, he gave a noncommittal response.

The next day, a steady stream of teammates stopped by his locker to sign a helmet, placed there by his best friend Urban. Starters, practice squad players, offensive players and defensive players alike stopped by to add to their tributes.