'Somebody still believes in me': Ravens' Jason Pierre-Paul ready to show former team what they are missing
BALTIMORE - Jason Pierre-Paul will return to a city that he helped win a Super Bowl championship just two years ago.
The veteran defensive end, who signed in Baltimore a month ago, will be in the lineup when the Ravens play at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Thursday night.
Pierre-Paul has played in four games with the Ravens, totaling eight tackles, one sack and three pass breakups.
"I'm going to be showcasing my talent as a Raven, and I'm going to show them why they chose me to be here, and get the job done," Pierre-Paul told the media Tuesday. "I'm a great pass rusher, great run stopper. Somebody still believes in me – so at the end of the day, I've got to showcase my talent."
The two-time Super Bowl champion is in his 13th season in the NFL. He won a championship with the Giants in 2011 and with the Buccaneers in 2020.
But after four seasons in Tampa, Pierre-Paul is preparing to show his former team it made a mistake not resigning him this past offseason.
Pierre-Paul had surgery on his shoulder in February after playing with a torn rotator cuff in 2021. He played in 12 games last season, with 2.5 sacks.
"I understand the business side of football, and it is what it is, but I have no hard feelings, no bad blood against Tampa," Pierre-Paul said. "I was there for four years and did my job there, and now I'm here. I'm just going to go out and show them what they don't have."
The 33-year-old last played with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2018 to 2021. In 2020, Pierre-Paul recorded four forced fumbles and 9.5 sacks.
Before joining the Bucs, Pierre-Paul was with the New York Giants from 2010 to 2017.
He is a three-time Pro Bowl performer with 92.5 career sacks.
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