Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Michael Pierce made one of the most incredible plays of the 2024 NFL season on Saturday, and he had a great reason for not trying to produce an even better highlight.
The Ravens were leading 35-10 late in their win over the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md., when Pierce intercepted a pass from Bailey Zappe. The big man dropped into coverage on 2nd-and-6 to make the stunning play.
Not surprisingly, it looked like Zappe failed to account for a 355-pound defensive tackle covering the quarterback’s intended target.
BIG MAN INT
Michael Pierce thought about it pic.twitter.com/MLmRVxzr12
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 5, 2025
Pierce had plenty of space in front of him, but he chose to give himself up rather than trying to get as much as possible out of the return. When asked about that decision after the game, the veteran said he was “out of gas” and did not want to become a meme.
“There’s a long history of turning big-guy interceptions and fumbles and all that stuff into memes,” Pierce told reporters. “So, at the risk of ruining a career play like that for myself, it’s time to go home. The bus was out of gas, we good. … Coach preaches smart football. I don’t want to end up on a meme or Instagram with my wife and everybody laughing at me, so we did the right thing and we got down and kept it moving.”
"The bus was out of gas."
Michael Pierce was not trying to become a meme pic.twitter.com/2RCtrFxi5X
— NFL (@NFL) January 5, 2025
That may have been the best big-boy interception we have ever seen. When a player that big gets his hands on a pass, it is usually by way of a tipped ball or a failed screen. Pierce showed his versatility by dropping back into coverage and making a play on the ball. That is a highlight he and his teammates will remember forever.
