Dameon Pierce (born February 19, 2000) is an American professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...

and

kickoff returner A return specialist or kick returner is a player on the special teams unit of a gridiron football team who specializes in returning punts and kickoffs. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most also play another position ...

for the

Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...

of the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL). He played

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

for the

Florida Gators The Florida Gators are the College sports in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Florida, located in Gainesville, Florida, Gainesville. The University of Florida, its athletic program, its alumni an ...

and was selected by the Texans in the fourth round of the

2022 NFL draft The 2022 NFL draft was the 87th edition of the National Football League's annual NFL draft, draft and was held from April 28–30, 2022, at the Caesars Forum on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, Paradise next to Las Vegas. The first round ...

Early life

Pierce grew up in

Bainbridge, Georgia Bainbridge is a city in Decatur County, Georgia, United States. The city is the county seat of Decatur County. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 14,468, up from 12,697 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the ...

and attended Bainbridge High School. As a senior, he rushed for 2,123 yards and 32 touchdowns. Pierce finished his high school career with 6,779 rushing yards and 92 total touchdowns scored. He was rated a four-star recruit and committed to play

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

over offers from

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

Florida State Florida State University (FSU or Florida State) is a Public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preeminent university in the s ...

, Miami (FL),

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

, and Auburn.

College career

Pierce rushed for 424 yards and two touchdowns on 69 carries in his freshman season. As a sophomore, he rushed 305 yards and four touchdowns. Pierce also played on

special teams In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their position. Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...

during his first two seasons. As a junior, he led the Gators with 503 rushing yards and four touchdowns and caught 17 passes for 156 yards and one touchdown. Pierce gained 574 yards and scored 13 touchdowns on 100 carries and also caught 19 passes for 216 yards and three touchdowns in his senior season.

College statistics

Professional career

2022

Pierce was selected by the

with the 107th overall pick in the fourth round of the

, using one of the selections acquired in the

Deshaun Watson trade The Deshaun Watson trade was a significant National Football League trade made on March 18, 2022, centered on sending quarterback Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans to the Cleveland Browns. The quarterback and a Texans 2024 NFL draft, 2024 si ...

. After final roster cuts, Pierce was named the first-string running back for the 2022 season. Pierce made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the

Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...

. He had 11 carries for 33 rushing yards in the 20–20 tie. In Week 3, against the

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...

, he scored his first professional touchdown on a one-yard rush. The following week, against the

Los Angeles Chargers The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC W ...

, Pierce broke out with 14 carries for 131 yards and one touchdown, which was a 75-yard rush. In Week 9, against the

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...

, he had 27 carries for 139 rushing yards in the 29–17 loss. His season was cut short by an ankle injury in the fourth quarter of week 13 against the

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...

. He finished his rookie season with 939 rushing yards and four touchdowns, along with 30 catches for 165 yards and one touchdown through 13 games and starts.

2023

Due to struggles in 2023, Pierce lost the first-string running back job to Devin Singletary. On December 24, 2023, Pierce returned a kickoff for a 98-yard touchdown against the

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...

in the 36–22 loss. Pierce finished the season with only 416 rushing yards averaging 2.8 yards per carry, along with only two touchdowns, both down from his rookie season. Pierce also had 13 catches for 101 yards, and no touchdowns.

NFL career statistics

Regular season

Postseason

References

External links

*
Houston Texans bio

Florida Gators bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pierce, Dameon 2000 births Living people American football running backs Florida Gators football players Players of American football from Georgia (U.S. state) People from Bainbridge, Georgia Houston Texans players 21st-century American sportsmen