Jason Pierre-Paul is itching to get back on the NFL gridiron, and if his latest comments to TMZ Sports are any indication, the two-time Super Bowl champ is ready to turn heads. At 36, the former New York Giants first-round pick (No. 15 overall in 2010) says he’s in the best shape of his life, down to a lean 270 pounds with abs he hasn’t seen since his rookie year. “I’m moving around like I’m 24 years old,” he told TMZ, brimming with confidence. “Anybody that gives me a shot, I’m ready to rock right now.” After sitting out the 2024 season, Pierre-Paul’s hunger to prove he’s “still got it” could make him a fascinating wildcard for 2025, especially for a contender like his last team, the Miami Dolphins. But can a 14-year veteran with a history of injuries and declining production still make an impact? Let’s dive into JPP’s comeback bid, his take on Giants rookie Abdul Carter’s jersey drama, and whether the NFL has room for one more chapter of the “Haitian Sensation.”
Pierre-Paul’s not just talking the talk—he’s walking it. His recent workout videos, posted consistently on social media, show a chiseled physique that backs up his claim of being in peak condition. “I’ve got abs!” he laughed, a nod to the discipline he’s poured into training with his personal coach. Dropping to 270 pounds—a weight he hasn’t hit since his early Giants days—suggests he’s shed some of the bulk that slowed him in recent years while maintaining the power that made him a nightmare off the edge. At 6-foot-5, with a 34¾-inch wingspan, JPP’s always had the frame to dominate, and his 4.78-second 40-yard dash from the 2010 Combine hints at the athleticism he’s trying to recapture. “Last year, I didn’t get a chance to play, which was disappointing,” he said. “When people feel like they don’t need you, you’ve gotta show them.”
His last NFL action came in 2023 with the Miami Dolphins, where he played just two games after being signed off the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad on November 28. Those outings were quiet—five defensive snaps, eight on special teams, and no stats—before the Dolphins waived him on December 19 to activate running back Chris Brooks. Before that, he had a brief stint with the Saints’ practice squad and a more substantial role with the Baltimore Ravens in 2022, starting 13 games and notching three sacks and 26 tackles. But injuries have dogged him since his Tampa Bay peak. A torn rotator cuff in 2021 limited him to 2.5 sacks, and a 2019 neck fracture from a car accident sidelined him for half the season. Then there’s the 2015 fireworks accident that cost him parts of his right hand, a life-altering injury he turned into an inspiring comeback with 12.5 sacks in 2018 for the Bucs.
Despite the setbacks, Pierre-Paul’s resume speaks for itself: 94.5 career sacks, 21 forced fumbles, three Pro Bowls (2011, 2012, 2020), a 2011 First-team All-Pro nod, and Super Bowl rings with the Giants (XLVI) and Bucs (LV). His 2011 season—16.5 sacks, 65 tackles, a safety, and a blocked field goal to beat Dallas—remains one of the most dominant by any edge rusher this century. Even in his later years, he showed flashes, like a strip-sack touchdown in 2019 against Atlanta. At 36, though, the clock’s ticking. The NFL’s pass-rush market is brutal for veterans—guys like Jadeveon Clowney (32, two sacks in 2024 with Washington) and Yannick Ngakoue (30, four sacks with Baltimore) have struggled to land long-term deals. JPP’s 5.5 sacks since 2021 don’t scream “game-changer,” and his 10.5% pass-rush win rate in 2022 (per PFF) was solid but not elite.
Still, there’s reason to believe he could contribute. His 77.5 career PFF grade reflects a guy who’s been disruptive even in down years, with 537 pressures and 229 stops across 14 seasons. Teams like the Dolphins, who lost Jaelan Phillips to a season-ending Achilles injury in 2023, could use veteran depth, especially after signing him late that year. Miami’s 2025 roster is stacked with edge talent like Chop Robinson and Quinton Bell, but Pierre-Paul’s experience—playing both 4-3 end and 3-4 outside linebacker—makes him a versatile fit. He told Sports Illustrated in 2023, “It’s all football. I know how to play football. Just be physical.” A contender needing a rotational pass-rusher, like the Eagles or Chiefs, might see JPP as a low-risk, high-reward signing, especially on a veteran-minimum deal. His 2022 Ravens stint showed he can still start if needed, and his leadership, praised by Bucs teammates like Devin White in 2019, could stabilize a young locker room.
Pierre-Paul also weighed in on the New York Giants’ 2025 first-round pick, Abdul Carter, the Penn State edge-rusher taken No. 3 overall. Carter raised eyebrows by asking to unretire the jersey numbers of Giants legends Lawrence Taylor (No. 56) and Phil Simms (No. 11), a bold move that drew fire from Patriots icons Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman. JPP, who wore No. 90 during his Giants tenure, offered a measured take. “This is a business, and I’ve been thankful to be part of it for 14 years,” he told TMZ. “You have to prove yourself.” He admitted he’d question Carter’s motives if his own number were retired, urging the rookie to “make history; make it legendary” with a new number. “When you make history, you do it with a number that nobody [ever] did it with.”
It’s a savvy perspective from a guy who knows the pressure of being a Giants edge-rusher. JPP was drafted to follow in the footsteps of Taylor, Michael Strahan, and Justin Tuck, and he delivered a Super Bowl in his second year. Carter, with 17.5 college sacks and a 4.5-second 40, has similar upside, joining a loaded Giants front with Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux. But JPP’s advice—forge your own path—echoes Taylor’s blunt response to Carter: “Get another number and make it famous.” Carter’s likely to pick a fresh number (No. 11, his Penn State digits, is taken by Simms’ retired jersey), and JPP’s words could resonate as he faces the same prove-it scrutiny Pierre-Paul did in 2010.
The odds aren’t in Pierre-Paul’s favor. At 36, he’s older than most active edge-rushers—only Calais Campbell (38, three sacks with Miami in 2024) and Cameron Jordan (35, two sacks with New Orleans) are comparable. His limited 2023 snaps and lack of a 2024 roster spot suggest teams see him as a depth piece at best. The Dolphins’ decision to waive him after two games in 2023, despite his local ties (he’s from Deerfield Beach, 30 minutes from Hard Rock Stadium), was telling. His injury history—neck fracture, rotator cuff surgery, hand amputation—raises durability concerns, and his 3.5 sacks over the past three seasons won’t wow GMs.
But don’t count JPP out. His 2019 comeback from a fractured neck, when he returned in Week 8 to post 8.5 sacks, showed his resilience. His hand injury, once a career threat, became a non-issue—he famously flipped off a reporter in 2015 to prove he’d moved on. At 270 pounds, he’s leaner than his 275-pound playing weight in 2022, potentially boosting his quickness. His workout clips show a guy who can still bend and explode, and his 90.5 career sacks rank him among the top 50 all-time. A team like Miami, thin at edge after losing Bradley Chubb to a knee injury in 2024, or a playoff hopeful like Buffalo, needing depth behind Von Miller, could take a flier. JPP’s not chasing All-Pro honors—he wants a third ring, and his “I’m pissed” mentality after losses (like his 2019 locker-room rant with the Bucs) could fire up a contender.
Pierre-Paul’s best shot is a training camp invite or a midseason pickup, like his 2023 Dolphins stint. He’s open to practice-squad deals, as he showed with New Orleans, but his heart’s set on a 53-man roster. The Dolphins make sense—JPP called playing near his family a “big perk” in 2023, and Miami’s Super Bowl aspirations align with his goals. But other teams, like the Ravens (who used him in 2022) or even the Giants (imagine a homecoming!), could call. His advice to Carter shows he’s still invested in the game, and his “24/7 gym” grind suggests he’s not bluffing about his shape.
For Giants fans, JPP’s comeback talk stirs nostalgia. His 2011 season, with a franchise-record 16.5 sacks and a Super Bowl-clinching block against Dallas, is the stuff of legend. Carter’s arrival signals a new era, but JPP’s “make history” mantra could inspire the rookie to channel that same fire. For now, Pierre-Paul’s waiting for his phone to ring, ready to prove the doubters wrong one more time. If he gets that shot, don’t be shocked if he’s still flipping quarterbacks—and maybe a few birds—on his way to the end zone. NFL, you’ve been warned: JPP’s got abs, swagger, and a whole lot left to prove.
