New York Giants Official Website

Official Website: Be sure to visit Antonio's Official Website....www.antoniopierce58.com 

TRANSACTIONS:

-           Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Washington Redskins on April 22, 2001...Signed by the Giants as an unrestricted free agent on March 3, 2005.

GIANTS NOTES: 

-           In 2006, Pierce became the 1st Giants linebacker to play in the Pro Bowl since Jessie Armstead made a 5th consecutive appearance in 2001. Pierce and Armstead were once teammates on the Redskins and remain close friends.
-           Pierce was the Giants' leading tackler in each of the last 3 seasons and a team captain the previous 2 seasons.
-           Scored touchdowns on an interception return with Washington in 2004 and on a fumble recovery with the Giants in 2005.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

-           Pierce has played in 115 regular season games with 84 starts for the Redskins and Giants. In his first 4 seasons with the Giants, he started all 60 regular season games and all 6 postseason games in which he played.
-           Has career totals of 732 tackles (465 solo), 8.0 sacks, 7 interceptions, 9 forced fumbles and 9 fumble recoveries. With the Giants he has 486 tackles (291 solo), 6.0 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries and 4 interceptions...Pierce has 44 postseason tackles (28 solo).
-           In 2008, Pierce started all 15 regular season games in which he played and the NFC Divisional Playoff Game...Did not play vs. San Francisco (10/20) because of a quad injury...Led the Giants in tackles for the 3rd consecutive season with 113 (54 solo). Also had 1.5 sacks, 3 passes defensed and 2 forced fumbles...Had a season-high 14 tackles (8 solo) vs. Philadelphia (12/7) and 12 tackles (6 solo) vs. Cincinnati (9/21)...Recorded a solo sack at St. Louis (9/14)...Forced fumbles at Pittsburgh (10/26) and vs. Dallas (11/2).
-           Was 1 of the Giants' team captains for the 2008 season, with Eli Manning, Amani Toomer, Fred Robbins and Jeff Feagles.
-           In 2007, Pierce started all 16 regular season and 4 postseason games...He led the Giants with 116 tackles (66 solo)...Also had 1 sack, 1 interception, 10 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble and 2 fumble recoveries...Had a season-high 13 tackles (11 solo) vs. Green Bay (9/16)...Recorded his only sack of the season when he dropped Joey Harrington for a 10-yard loss in the 2nd quarter at Atlanta (10/15)...Had 8 tackles (5 solo) and an interception vs. San Francisco (10/21). Picked off a Trent Dilfer pass and returned it 25 yards to set up Manning's 2-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Shockey.
-           Finished with a team-high 10 tackles (7 solo) in the Giants' Super Bowl XLII victory vs. New England (2/3). Was a key figure on a Giants defense that held the Patriots far below their season averages in several categories, including points (the Patriots averaged almost 37 a game in the regular season, but scored 14 in the Super Bowl); yards (New England averaged 411.3 yards a game, but totaled only 274 in the Super Bowl); rushing yards (the Pats averaged 115.6 in the regular season and 147 in their first 2 postseason games, but settled for only 45 against the Giants and did not have a run longer than 9 yards).
-           Was one of the Giants' team captains for the 2007 season, with Manning, Shaun O'Hara, Michael Strahan and Feagles.
-           In 2006, Pierce started all 16 regular season games and the NFC Wild Card Game at middle linebacker...He led the Giants with 159 tackles (93 solo), 1 tackle shy of the career-high he set with Washington in 2004...Pierce also had 1 sack, 1 interception, 11 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble and 2 fumble recoveries.
-           Pierce played in his 1st Pro Bowl after Chicago's Brian Urlacher was unable to play because of an injury. He had 3 solo tackles and intercepted a Vince Young pass in the Pro Bowl...Registered 13 tackles (7 solo), 1 quarterback hurry and 2 passes defensed vs. Chicago (11/12)...Recorded his 1st interception of the season when he picked off Tony Romo's 1st attempt of the game after the ball was deflected by Michael Strahan at Dallas (10/23).
-           In 2005, started all 13 games in which he played at middle linebacker and was voted a 1st alternate to the Pro Bowl in his 1st season with the Giants...Before suffering a season-ending ankle injury at Philadelphia (12/11), Pierce led the Giants with 98 tackles (78 solo) and had 2.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, a forced fumble and 2 fumble recoveries, 1 of which he returned for a touchdown...Did not play in the final 3 regular season games or the NFC Wild Card Playoff Game vs. Carolina (1/8), yet was second on the team to Gibril Wilson in tackles.
-           Finished with a team-high 7 tackles (5 solo), 1 pass defensed and a fumble recovery vs. Dallas (12/4). Scored the Giants 1st defensive touchdown of the season when he recovered a Drew Bledsoe fumble and returned it 12 yards for the score on the 1st play from scrimmage in the 3rd quarter...Recorded a team-high 11 tackles, 1 interception and 2 passes defensed vs. Washington (10/30). Intercepted his 2nd pass of the season when he picked off a Mark Brunell attempt for David Patten in the 2nd quarter.
-           In 2004, started all 16 games at middle linebacker for Washington...Finished with a career-high 160 tackles (109 solo), 1 sack, 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries and a forced fumble...Had a season-high 15 tackles (9 solo) and had a 4-yard sack of Kyle Boller vs. Baltimore (12/12).
-           In 2003, played in 15 games with 1 start...Most of his action was on special teams...Finished 3rd on the team in special teams tackles with 18, 13 on kickoff coverage and 5 on punt coverage.
-           In 2002, played in 8 games with 1 start and finished with 13 tackles (11 solo).
-           As a rookie in 2001, played in all 16 games with 7 starts and had 64 tackles (48 solo), 1 interception, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery.
-           Picked off a Jake Plummer pass vs. Arizona (1/6/02) for 1st career interception.

COLLEGE:

-           Played in 23 games in 2 seasons at Arizona, where he had 152 tackles, 20 tackles for losses and 7 sacks...Started all 12 games as a junior and ended the season with 75 tackles (27 solo), 10 tackles for losses and 4 sacks...Played in all 11 games as a senior and had 77 tackles, 10 for losses of 22 yards, 3 sacks, 1 interception, 2 forced fumbles and 1 blocked kick.
-           Played at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif. before being recruited by Arizona.

OFF-THE-FIELD ACTIVITY:
 
-           In 2006, Antonio Pierce started "Antonio's A-List" at Giants Academy, the Giants charter academic program located in the Louise A. Spencer School in Newark, N.J.  Antonio's A-List is a motivational incentive program that will reward Giants Academy Students that reach certain academic standards each semester and for the entire school year. Antonio visits the school, and also accompanies the kids on service trips, preparing meals for the community.
-           Hosted his 5th annual football camp for youth in his hometown of Compton, Calif., completely free of charge.
-           Hosts an annual free football clinic and scholarship gala to benefit the youth of Bermuda, where Pierce was born and has family.
-           Served as a guest speaker at the annual awards convention of the Boy Scouts of America.
-           Attended the Giants Kickoff Luncheon benefitting St. Vincent's Medical Center.
-           Attended Coach Coughlin's "Champions for Children Gala" benefitting The Jay Fund.
-           Joined Nike to host Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club for a day of fun at Niketown in NYC.
-           Hosted the "Giant Leap to Greatness" awards dinner benefitting Communities in Schools of New Jersey, and presented an award to Ms. Angela Williams for his outstanding work as the site coordinator of Giants Academy in Newark.

PERSONAL:

-           Married (Jocelyn)
-           Majored in communications.
-           Attended Paramount (Calif.) High School.
-           Hobbies are working with cars and breeding pit bulls.
-           Hometown is Long Beach, Calif.
-           Born Oct. 26, 1978.