kgdabom
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro “I’ll be completely honest with you,” Pierce said Wednesday in a 33-minute Zoom interview with the media. “There were, for sure, many times where I would say, ‘Dang, I could’ve been out there.’ When we made the decision, there wasn’t a ton of science behind everything. … As the weeks went on and the NFL got more adept with dealing with the COVID situation, I for sure regretted (opting out) to an extent. … From a personal standpoint, I do feel responsible about some of the stuff that happened last year.” But Pierce believes things are looking up now for Minnesota’s retooled defense. After his year away, Pierce came to the TCO Performance Center in Eagan this week to meet with team officials and coaches. He said Mike Zimmer has been “super supportive,” and that he gave his head coach a hug. “They wanted to show me the love that they’ve shown to everybody else that they brought in through free agency, even though they signed me last year,” said Pierce, who signed a three-year, $27 million contract in March 2020 that has been pushed back one year and now runs through 2023. “I’ve literally walked the whole campus, got to see the (Vikings) museum, everything, got to meet each and every person. … For me, it was about proving I’m going to be the player and person they expect me to be.” Pierce conducted a workout and believes he impressed team officials and coaches, including assistant head coach Andre Patterson, who is also co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. The 6-foot Pierce had some weight issues when he played for Baltimore from 2016-19 but said he’s now in “great shape” after hiring a nutritionist and working regularly with a trainer. “I am 341 (pounds) today,” said Pierce, who said he is fully vaccinated after getting his second Pfizer shot two weeks ago. “I played around 350 in Baltimore but I’ve gotten as low as 335. But, as far as me playing-wise, I like to keep it around there. …. My body fat is lower at 341 than it has ever been … I’m ready to roll.” Pierce coming in for this season could be a huge difference maker. It sounds like he kept in shape during his opt out year.
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