Eagles' Dameon Pierce Has a Strong Benefactor in Nick Sirianni

PHILADELPHIA — Dameon Pierce has arrived on the Eagles’ 53-man roster and could be a major contributor during Sunday’s game in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The veteran running back has a strong benefactor in Philadelphia head coach Nick Sirianni.

The Eagles promoted the former Houston Texan off their practice squad this week. The move comes as injury thins the backfield—Saquon Barkley was ruled out Friday with a hamstring issue and backup Tank Bigsby is on injured reserve with a core muscle injury—leaving Pierce and Will Shipley as the healthy options behind an offense that needs production on the ground.

The big benefactor

Asked what steered him back to Philadelphia after he was a victim on the initial cut to 53, Pierce did not hesitate. “Nick Sirianni,” he said, laughing, before explaining why.

“He’s a great guy. He’s vibrant. He loves the game of football. He loves what he does. And this locker room, to gel, we all gotta have good relationships,” Pierce said.

Sirianni returned the sentiment of Friday when asked about his relationship with Pierce by Eagles On SI.

The coach said the Eagles had tracked Pierce since he came out of Florida.

“There’re a lot of guys [in the draft] you end up loving that it’s like, ‘Oh man, he’s going to be good for them,’” Sirianni said. “I think it all started back then, and just like I said, it’s fun being around him. He brings constant energy to the football team. He’s obviously a very talented player and works extremely hard and runs extremely hard."

“I’m excited for his opportunity.”

That opportunity has been a long time coming. Pierce burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2022, rushing for 939 yards and four touchdowns on 220 carries for the Texans while adding 30 receptions for 165 yards. He was one of the league’s more productive first-year backs.

What followed was a steep drop: 416 yards in 2023, a reduced role and injuries (including ankle, hamstring and shoulder issues) in the years after, and only 26 yards on 10 carries in four games in 2025 before Houston waived him.

Pierce said the years of limited snaps were navigated with prayer and mental toughness.

“Being in this game, you gotta have a lot of mental strength, on the field and off the field,” he said. “Just finding that happy medium to where you can go and just control what you can control and be ready when the time is, for sure has helped.”

Pierce described the recent promotion as everything he has been working toward.

“Just having a lot of the mental toughness I had over the last few years, you know, probably not going the way I wanted it, but I’m all about timing,” Pierce said. “Just making sure I’m prepared on that field, making sure I’m ready to carry the torch for my guy.”

For Eagles fans who have not seen much of him, Pierce offered a short self-portrait: a down-to-earth player from South Georgia with humble roots, who tries to be detailed and explosive.

“I just try to bring the game to the defense, not try to let them dictate my game speed. If it’s there, take it. If not, wait on it,” he said.

Whether that translates into early-down work against one of the league’s better run defenses remains to be seen.

What is clear is that Pierce has been preparing for his second chance and Sirianni is excited to provide it for him.

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