Rabens OLB Jason Pierre-Paul playing with extra motivation on Thursday
By Justin Fried
The Baltimore Ravens are set to travel to Tampa Bay on Thursday to take on the Buccaneers, and for veteran pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul, this matchup will hold a little more meaning than all the others.
Pierre-Paul spent the last four years of his career in Tampa Bay, during which he famously helped the team win Super Bowl LV in 2021. But after nearly a half-decade with the organization, the two sides parted ways this offseason.
The Ravens signed Pierre-Paul to a one-year deal last month following a slew of injuries at the outside linebacker position, and the 13-year NFL veteran wasted little time becoming a valuable cog in the team’s pass-rush rotation.
Now entering Week 8, Pierre-Paul is hoping to show the Buccaneers exactly what they missed out on.
When speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Pierre-Paul implied he’d be playing with a little extra motivation on Thursday. Despite insisting that there was no “bad blood,” Pierre-Paul explained why Thursday night’s matchup means a bit more to him than other games.
"“There’s no bad blood but I want to show them what they don’t have.”"
Ravens OLB Jason Pierre-Paul has a chip on his shoulder
The Buccaneers opted not to re-sign Pierre-Paul this offseason following an injury-riddled, disappointing 2021 campaign for the former Pro Bowler.
Pierre-Paul may not be the player he used to be, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t still been a reliable contributor for the Ravens. He’s played a whopping 73 percent of defensive snaps since joining the team despite not going through an NFL offseason program.
In four games, Pierre-Paul has racked up eight tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, one QB hit, and six pressures. Not bad for a 33-year-old who wasn’t on an NFL roster a month ago.
Pierre-Paul has provided much-needed experienced pass-rush depth while the likes of Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo rehab their injuries. He’s not exactly lighting the world on fire, but that’s not what the Ravens are asking him to do.
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Jason Pierre-Paul has been a consistent veteran presence in the Ravens’ outside linebacker rotation over the last few weeks, and on Thursday, he’ll have the opportunity to show the Buccaneers exactly what they’re missing out on.