Vikings Nose Tackle Michael Pierce Opts Out of 2020 Season

The free agent pickup is high-risk for COVID-19 due to asthma and other respiratory issues.

Vikings nose tackle Michael Pierce is opting out of the 2020 NFL season due to respiratory issues. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero was the first to report.

#Vikings NT Michael Pierce is opting out of the 2020 season, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo. Minnesota’s only big-ticket free agent this year leaves a hole up front on defense.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 28, 2020

This is not a voluntary opt-out for Pierce, the former Baltimore Raven who was signed by the Vikings in free agency this offseason. He has "really bad asthma" and other respiratory concerns that place him in the high-risk category, according to multiple reports.

Pierce flew up to Minnesota from his home state of Alabama yesterday and has spoken with Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer over the phone. "They understand," Pierce told Chris Tomasson. "If I caught [COVID-19], I probably would be in some real trouble.''

Pierce requires an inhaler for his asthma and has also had pneumonia in recent years. He told Tomasson he's hoping there will be a vaccine so he can "get back out there in the spring."

This had to be a difficult decision for Pierce, but it's the right one. Despite all of the protocols and safety measures put in place by the NFL and the Vikings, there's no way to guarantee that players or other employees won't get the coronavirus. With Pierce's health concerns, that's not a risk worth taking.

Pierce signed a three-year, $27 million deal ($18 million guaranteed) with the Vikings in March after four years in Baltimore. The big defensive tackle was an undrafted free agent out of Samford in 2016. He was one of the league's best nose tackles in 2017 and 2018 and was set to replace Linval Joseph in Minnesota's starting lineup this season.

Pierce had a $5 million cap hit in 2020, but he will still get $350,000 for not playing while being in the high-risk category. "It's not about the money," he told Tomasson.

The Vikings will now likely turn to Shamar Stephen, Armon Watts, or Jaleel Johnson at nose tackle, perhaps with a rotation. They could also potentially use their additional cap space to go sign a free agent.

Pierce is one of a couple dozen NFL players to opt out of the 2020 season recently, with more likely to follow.

Check out all of our Vikings 2020 season preview content right here.

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