Antonio Pierce Antonio Durran Pierce ( born October 26 , 1978 ) is a retired American football linebacker who played in the National Football League for nine seasons . He played college football for the University of Arizona . He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent , and also played for the New York Giants . Early years . Pierce played high school football at Paramount High School in Paramount , California . He played two years of football at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut , California , before transferring to the University of Arizona . As a senior at Arizona , he had three sacks , 77 tackles ( ten for losses ) , two forced fumbles , one interception , and one blocked kick . Pierce was not taken in the 2001 NFL Draft after his senior year at Arizona because many NFL scouts considered him too undersized to play linebacker in the NFL . Professional career . Washington Redskins . The Washington Redskins signed him as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2001 . He played in all 16 games as a rookie , with only eight starts . He recorded 52 tackles , one sack , and one interception during his rookie campaign . The interception came against Jake Plummer . Over the next two seasons , Pierce played sporadically , recording only 18 and 15 tackles respectively , during the 2002 and 2003 seasons . It was not until the 2004 season , his fourth in the league , that he played a full season replacing the injured Micheal Barrow . That season Pierce logged a career high 114 tackles , 95 of them solo . He also had one forced fumble , one sack and two interceptions , including a pick off Ken Dorsey returned 76 yards for a touchdown . New York Giants . The New York Giants signed Pierce on March 3 , 2005 to start at middle linebacker . He became the captain of the defense , and in 13 games , Pierce notched 100 tackles , 80 of them solo , two interceptions and one forced fumble returned for a touchdown . His 2005 season ended early as he suffered a leg injury , against the Philadelphia Eagles , and missed the final three regular season games and the Giants ' only postseason game , a 23 - 0 loss to the Carolina Panthers . In 2006 , Pierce recorded a career - high 138 tackles ( 109 solo ) , a sack , an interception , and defended eight passes . Pierce was named as a first alternate for the Pro Bowl . He was invited to play in Hawaii after Brian Urlacher suffered a toe injury in Super Bowl XLI , and withdrew from the Pro Bowl . Pierce was released on February 11 , 2010 . Retirement . Following his release , Pierce announced his retirement from football on July 8 , 2010 . He also stated that he would then begin his career as an NFL analyst for ESPN . Personal . Pierce is married to Jocelyn and the father of four . He currently resides in Palos Verdes Estates , California . His father , Cleo Burrows is from Bermuda . Inspired by his own experiences growing up in Compton , it has become his mission to improve the quality of life for the youth in the Long Beach / Compton area . For several years , Pierce has offered a free football camp for underprivileged youths . In 2006 , Pierce became the spokesperson for Giants Academy — a program for inner city youth geared toward helping these children succeed despite obstacles in their life . He is also involved in the " Read Across America " program where he reads to children whose parents are undergoing treatment for chemical dependency at the Odyssey House in Harlem . In 2007 , Pierce received the " United Way Man of the Year " award and was honored by the Catholic Diocese for his support of the community . Pierce was honored at the 2008 ESPY awards along with the Giants . Legal troubles . Pierce was present when teammate Plaxico Burress accidentally shot himself in the thigh at the Latin Quarter Night Club in New York City on November 28 , 2008 . Police say that Pierce drove Burress to the hospital and then returned home with the gun in his glove compartment . The police impounded Pierce ' s SUV to search for blood and gunpowder residue . Burress has been charged with criminal possession of a weapon ; however Pierce was not indicted on any charges . On August 3 , 2009 , Antonio Pierce was cleared of all criminal charges stemming from Plaxico Buress weapons charge . Broadcasting . Pierce served as a communications intern on the Howard Stern Show on May 7 , 2008 . He stated he would like to pursue a career in broadcasting after his NFL career . Near the end of the day ' s show he asked to stay for the remainder of the week and Howard agreed .