Philadelphia coach Nick Sirianni admitted he kept running back Dameon Pierce on the practice squad out of fear of losing him, as the team turns to him following key injuries.
When the Philadelphia Eagles travel to London this Saturday, they will do so with a backfield reshaped by necessity and a long-held secret finally out in the open.
Head coach Nick Sirianni revealed this week that the decision to finally activate running back Dameon Pierce to the 53-man roster was not just about the current injury crisis. It was the end of a delicate game of roster management. Sirianni admitted that he had viewed the 26-year-old as a starting-caliber player for some time. but kept him tucked away on the practice squad because he lived in constant fear of another team poaching him.
“I maybe wouldn’t have said that when he was on our practice squad publicly because it’s out of fear of losing him. ” Sirianni said. “But he’s an NFL starting running back who was on our practice squad and put his chest up. got his head up. and went to work and was still the enjoyable person to be around on a daily basis.”.
The move to promote Pierce comes at a critical juncture for the Eagles. The team currently holds a 2-2 record and is looking to end a two-game losing streak. the most recent being a 24-20 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 4. That loss proved doubly costly: Saquon Barkley sustained a hamstring injury currently listed as week-to-week. while Tank Bigsby suffered a core injury that will require surgery.
Philadelphia’s rushing attack has struggled to find traction, averaging only 109 yards per game—the fourth-worst mark in the NFL. The team is hoping Pierce, who signed a one-year, $1.29 million contract in March, can provide the immediate spark they lacked against the Rams.
Pierce’s career has been defined by fluctuating opportunities since the Texans selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. Over his career, he has logged 419 carries for 1,684 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Last season, he split time between the Houston Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs, appearing in five games total. Now. with the Eagles’ backfield depleted. he faces the chance to prove that Sirianni’s guarded praise was earned on the field. not just in the practice facility.
Philadelphia Eagles Dameon Pierce Nick Sirianni NFL Saquon Barkley Tank Bigsby NFL roster news