Now in his sixth season in the NFL, James Pierre seems to be blossoming—and it’s not just some accident. A former college free agent out of the University of Central Florida, he made his career on special teams. In previous years, however, he struggled when given his opportunities to play on defense.
Not so this year, and it wasn’t exactly by design. The Steelers loaded up the cornerback room with Joey Porter Jr., Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay, and Brandin Echols. Pierre wasn’t even a lock to make the team. But he’s taking advantage of every opportunity he sees now—and he could have plenty more.