In the Round 8 ANZAC Day match against the St George Illawarra Dragons, Pearce kicked a game winning field goal in the 83rd minute during Golden Point to give the Roosters a 13-12 victory and won the ANZAC Man of the Match Medal at Sydney Football Stadium. In Round 16 against the Melbourne Storm, Pearce would again kick a match winning field goal in Golden Point to give the Roosters a 25-24 victory at Adelaide Oval. Pearce who started the season in good form would again get selected to play at halfback for New South Wales for the 2017 State of Origin series in all 3 matches and scored 2 tries in another unsuccessful attempt for Pearce to be part of winning Origin team. On 27 September 2017, Pearce was the winner of the Peter Frilingos Headline Moment of the Year of his match winning performance in the Roosters ANZAC Day clash against the St George Illawarra Dragons. Following the 2017 season in which Pearce helped the Roosters take 2nd place on the ladder and made it to the preliminary final, it was announced that the Roosters had signed Melbourne Storm superstar halfback Cooper Cronk on a two-year deal. Pearce, feeling betrayed, started weighing his future in what would be the biggest decision in his career. In the end, Pearce decided to leave the club and on 20 November 2017, the Sydney Roosters granted Pearce an immediate release from his remaining contract. Pearce was negotiating with the Newcastle Knights, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. On 30 November 2017, it was announced that Pearce signed a 4-year deal with the Newcastle Knights starting from 2018, worth about $4 Million over the time. Pearce finished his 10-year stint with the Sydney Roosters with him playing in playing in 23 matches, scoring 7 tries and kicking 3 field goals in the 2017 NRL season.