For the first 13 weeks of the 2022 NFL season, one thing media members could count on when walking into the Houston Texans locker room was hearing rookie running back Dameon Pierce laughing and joking with his teammates.
With his thick Georgia accent that was as pleasing to listen to as watching him burst through the offensive line for one of his tough and gritty runs, Pierce had made himself a media and fan favorite around Houston.
The former Florida Gator was drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft and immediately impressed the coaches from rookie minicamp to the start of the regular season.
Although he showed steady progress throughout his first three games, many around the NFL started to take notice when he had his first 100-yard rushing game in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Pierce finished with 131 yards on 14 carries and one touchdown, but his 75-yard touchdown run in the second quarter made future opponents view him as a threat.
Nearly a month later, he rushed for a career-high 139 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles. The only thing that could stop Pierce during his rookie campaign was a season-ending ankle injury he suffered in Week 14 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Even though the Texans only had three wins for the season, Pierce was considered the future at the running back position. He finished the season with 220 carries for 939 yards (4.3 avg.) and four touchdowns and caught 30 passes for 165 yards (5.5 avg.) and one touchdown. His 72.2 rushing yards per game ranked him eighth in the NFL and first among all rookie running backs.
“I am dang proud of what I was doing,” Pierce said about his season. I wish I could have had those four games (injury), though. I put everything on paper, and it gives me something to look forward to in the offseason.”
Pierce’s energy was infectious, and his smile could change any adverse situation. That was displayed during his exit interview with the media after the team finished with less than five wins in its third consecutive season.
Houston would also welcome a new head coach after Lovie Smith was fired at the end of the regular season, but Pierce had done enough to show that he had solidified the running back position for the Houston Texans.
Yet, general manager Nick Caserio didn’t view it that way, and during the offseason, he signed running back Devin Singletary to a one-year contract. At the time, it looked as if Singletary would be backing up Pierce, but by Week 9, he had taken over as the starter, relegating Pierce to a backup role and kickoff returner on special teams.
Pierce’s once vibrant attitude in the locker room had disappeared. He made himself unavailable to the media throughout the week and often does not appear in the locker room during media availability.
One year later, Pierce reflects on his second year and admits he was to blame for his downward spiral.
“Five years from now, I’m going to be able to say that ‘Year two was my best year,’” said Pierce to reporters after practice. “Probably not on paper, but the process and the growth that I had mentally is going to be something that carries over to every year that I play in this League. Just being able to deal with the lows, being able to battle through injuries, being able to bounce back, being able just to sit back and see that – it’s necessarily not a bad thing.
“Ultimately, the first step in solving a problem is honesty. And if we’re being honest, I didn’t invest enough time into myself. I didn’t invest enough time into my body. I didn’t invest enough time in making sure I was clear on the playbook and sound on my fundamentals. So, at the end of the day, the only person I can point the finger at is me. So, knowing that and going through that process with that mentality it helped me a lot in terms of not trying to point the blame at anybody else and just owning it, owning my situation, coming back, showing the coaches that I’ve grown, showing the coaches that I’ve gotten in shape – I’ve gotten in better shape mentally and physically.”
Pierce also elaborated on how having honest, positive people around him helped him realize that he had not done enough in year two to warrant regaining his starting position.
“I just have a great circle of people around me,” Pierce said. “I think the most important thing about my circle is I have a lot of people who are honest around me. I’ve got a lot of people who aren’t afraid to tell me, ‘Hey, DP. you’re tripping, bro. This ain’t you. Get better, do better. I expect more from you.’ I’ve got a lot of people who have a lot of high expectations of me.”
The new attitude is more than just fodder for the media to write articles about. Pierce has come into camp in the best shape he has been in since Houston drafted him. He has become more explosive and has learned his playbook better to the point where he sees the mistakes he made in Bobby Slowik’s offense last season.
“The offseason was a very intense one for me,” said Pierce. I was very deliberate about my body and mind, just making sure I could come back to Houston ready to go mentally and physically and keep up with the demands that [Offensive Coordinator Bobby Slowik] Slow and [Assistant Head] Coach [Running Backs Danny] Barrett expect of me and see that to my utmost potential.”
The Texans acquired running back Joe Mixon via trade with the Cincinnati Bengals this past offseason and immediately signed him to a three-year $27 million contract extension. If he is healthy coming out of training camp, he will be the Week 1 starter, but that doesn’t mean Pierce is ready to give up the spot without competing.
“Pierce is taking this season very seriously,” said a source close to the team exclusively to Big Sarge Media. “He has dedicated himself to being a team player and is willing to do whatever head coach DeMeco Ryans and his staff wants. He just wants to be on the field and help his team take that next step.”