OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Nose tackle Michael Pierce had arm surgery Thursday, becoming the fourth Baltimore Ravens player to suffer a season-ending injury in the first three weeks of the season.
The Ravens announced they placed Pierce on injured reserve.
A source confirmed that Pierce made the decision to have surgery Wednesday night. Pierce tore his left biceps in the Ravens' 37-26 win over the Patriots on Sunday. He had been one of the top free agent additions for Baltimore, signing a three-year, $16.5 million deal in March.
There was a chance that Pierce would choose to play with the injury and have surgery after the season. But Pierce now joins cornerback Kyle Fuller (knee), offensive tackle Ja'Wuan James (Achilles) and outside linebacker Steven Means (Achilles) as Ravens players who are out for the season.
Pierce received $6.75 million in guaranteed money from Baltimore to replace longtime nose tackle Brandon Williams and had played well in the first two weeks of the season. The Ravens will look for Broderick Washington to step up to a starting role.
Durability has been an issue with Pierce during his six-year NFL career. Last season, he missed seven games because of a triceps injury and sat out two more games with a non-COVID-19 illness. In 2020, Pierce opted out of the entire season because of COVID-19. The last time Pierce played a full season was 2017.