The Atlanta Falcons have found an absolute gem in James Pearce Jr., and he continued to revolutionize the pass-rush. On Atlanta's opening drive in Week 14 against the Seattle Seahawks, Pearce sacked Sam Darnold, which saw him get in the sack column for the fifth consecutive game.
Across his last five games, the 21-year-old amassed 5.5 sacks, which saw him make history, The last rookie to have a sack in five straight games was Micah Parsons in 2021, who has since become one of the best pass-rushers in football while placing Pearce into some elite company amid his heroics.
The Tennessee product entered Sunday questionable due to a back injury, but wasn't letting any injury slow him down. However, he was injured and limped off under his own power during the game, which could threaten to halt Pearce's momentum against a high-powered Seattle offense.
James Pearce once again impressed in Week 14, but left the game due to injury
But instead of entering the medical tent or being seriously hurt, the 26th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft walked off in his own power. It seems as though he's already back on the sidelines, and is now back on the field, but seeing him leave the game at all is scary enough for Falcons fans.
Both Pearce and fellow first-round pick Jalon Walker helped to revitalize Atlanta's revamped pass rush, which has made new DC Jeff Ulbrich's job far easier. The Falcons are continuing to shatter franchise records in the sack department, and Pearce's progress has been pivotal in that area.
Walker has five sacks of his own, and both young EDGE rushers have made their presence felt. Amid a wide open race for Defensive Rookie of the Year, both former SEC standouts are making their campaigns clear by terrorizing opposing offensive lines week in and week out.
Pearce was heralded as a top-five pick at one point in the pre-draft process, and Terry Fontenot's decison to trade Atlanta's 2026 first-round pick for him was met with backlash. But now, Fontenot's vision is clear as the All-SEC pass rusher has quietly taken the NFL by storm in his rookie season.
The fact that the Charlotte native is in company with a four-time Pro Bowler in Parsons is a fantastic sign. He was made the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history after being traded to the Green Bay Packers this summer, and Falcons fans can only hope Pearce's career takes a similar trajectory.
His six sacks are tied with Brandon Dorlus for the team high, and is starting to look like the best pure pass-rusher to don the red and black since John Abraham did.