Class act and fan favorite, New York Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce was released yesterday after five seasons as an integral member of the Giants defense.
Signed in 2005 as a free agent from the Washington Redskins, Pierce, 31, became one of Big Blue’s most dominant players, leading the team with 159 tackles in 2006 and earning himself a Pro Bowl spot.
He followed up that impressive performance by amassing 116 tackles in 2007 and 113 the following year.
After it was learned that he suffered a bulging disc in his neck midway through the 2009 season, an injury that was diagnosed as career threatening, Pierce was placed on injured reserve and sat out the final month. With one year left on his contract and an uncertain future ahead of him, the Giants felt it best to part ways.
It can be argued that his play declined after the Giants Super Bowl win in 2008, as he lost some quickness and had a difficult time in coverage. However, despite his shortcomings Antonio Pierce was still one of the most intelligent and effective contributors on the Giants defense due to his football acumen.
After his injury in 2009, the defense seemed to lack cohesiveness and had a harder time assessing the plays of opposing offenses.
As one of the most inspirational leaders of the team, Pierce was also recognized for his emotional play, incredible toughness, and his intense study of the game.
He will always be remembered for the huge play he made in the 2007 NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers. On the play, Pierce singlehandedly prevented a score by stuffing a screen pass and tackling two players by himself—it became one of the most memorable plays of his career.
Giants head coach Tom Coughlin was sad to see Pierce go but had nothing but praise for the three-time captain according to www.giants.com.
“He demonstrated great leadership. He has been an outstanding football player. He has worn that Giant uniform very, very proudly,” Coughlin said.
General manager Jerry Reese also thanked Pierce for his contributions, saying, “A.P. came right in and took the bull by the horns from day one and was very instrumental in helping the New York Giants win a lot of games and accomplishing a lot of our goals during his time here. He has been an outstanding Giant.”
Pierce commented on his days with Big Blue and was equally proud to have been a part of the Giants organization, “When I came to New York I wanted to be a dominant player and help this organization win a championship, which we did in Super Bowl XLII.”
He added, “I wanted to be a leader and I did that. I wanted to be a guy who always led by example, a guy you could count on every day.”
“I appreciate everything. I have nothing but very strong love for the New York Giants.”
Signed in 2005 as a free agent from the Washington Redskins, Pierce, 31, became one of Big Blue’s most dominant players, leading the team with 159 tackles in 2006 and earning himself a Pro Bowl spot.
He followed up that impressive performance by amassing 116 tackles in 2007 and 113 the following year.
After it was learned that he suffered a bulging disc in his neck midway through the 2009 season, an injury that was diagnosed as career threatening, Pierce was placed on injured reserve and sat out the final month. With one year left on his contract and an uncertain future ahead of him, the Giants felt it best to part ways.
It can be argued that his play declined after the Giants Super Bowl win in 2008, as he lost some quickness and had a difficult time in coverage. However, despite his shortcomings Antonio Pierce was still one of the most intelligent and effective contributors on the Giants defense due to his football acumen.
After his injury in 2009, the defense seemed to lack cohesiveness and had a harder time assessing the plays of opposing offenses.
As one of the most inspirational leaders of the team, Pierce was also recognized for his emotional play, incredible toughness, and his intense study of the game.
He will always be remembered for the huge play he made in the 2007 NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers. On the play, Pierce singlehandedly prevented a score by stuffing a screen pass and tackling two players by himself—it became one of the most memorable plays of his career.
Giants head coach Tom Coughlin was sad to see Pierce go but had nothing but praise for the three-time captain according to www.giants.com.
“He demonstrated great leadership. He has been an outstanding football player. He has worn that Giant uniform very, very proudly,” Coughlin said.
General manager Jerry Reese also thanked Pierce for his contributions, saying, “A.P. came right in and took the bull by the horns from day one and was very instrumental in helping the New York Giants win a lot of games and accomplishing a lot of our goals during his time here. He has been an outstanding Giant.”
Pierce commented on his days with Big Blue and was equally proud to have been a part of the Giants organization, “When I came to New York I wanted to be a dominant player and help this organization win a championship, which we did in Super Bowl XLII.”
He added, “I wanted to be a leader and I did that. I wanted to be a guy who always led by example, a guy you could count on every day.”
“I appreciate everything. I have nothing but very strong love for the New York Giants.”
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