Earl Holmes facts for kids
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 28, 1973 Tallahassee, Florida, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1992–1995 | Florida A&M |
| 1996–2001 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2002 | Cleveland Browns |
| 2003–2005 | Detroit Lions |
| Position(s) | Linebacker |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2008–2010 | Florida A&M (co-DC/LB) |
| 2011–2012 | Florida A&M (DC/LB) |
| 2012–2014 | Florida A&M |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 6–16 |
Earl L. Holmes was born on April 28, 1973. He is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker, a key defensive position. Later, he became a head coach at Florida A&M University. The Pittsburgh Steelers picked him in the 1996 NFL draft. In July 2005, Holmes was honored. He was inducted into the FAMU Hall of Fame. This placed him among famous figures like Alonzo S. "Jake" Gaither.
Contents
Playing Football: Earl Holmes' College and Pro Career
College Star at Florida A&M (1992-1995)
Earl Holmes played college football for the Florida A&M Rattlers. He played from 1992 to 1995. During his time, he became the school's all-time leader in tackles. A tackle is when a defensive player stops an offensive player. Holmes was chosen for the All-MEAC First-team three times.
He holds the school and MEAC record. He made 509 total tackles, with 309 of them being solo. In his final year, he set new school records. He had 103 solo tackles and 171 total tackles. In one game against Southern University, he made 30 tackles. This was a career high for him.
Holmes earned several top honors. He was named NCAA Division I-AA All-American in 1994 and 1995. In 1995, he was the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year. He also won the Sheridan Broadcasting Network College Defensive Player of the Year award. His impressive college performance led to him being drafted by the NFL.
Playing in the NFL: Steelers, Browns, and Lions
The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Earl Holmes in 1996. He played his first six seasons with them. He was known as a strong middle linebacker. He was great at stopping running plays. Steelers fans even called him "The Hit Man."
During his time with the Steelers, he had 547 tackles. He also had 9.5 sacks and 56 tackles for loss. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback. A tackle for loss means stopping an offensive player behind the line of scrimmage. He also forced 3 fumbles and recovered 4.
In 2002, Holmes joined the Cleveland Browns. He had one of his best seasons there. He made 128 tackles and helped the Browns reach the playoffs. He then played three solid seasons for the Detroit Lions. He retired after the 2005 season.
Overall, Earl Holmes played 10 seasons in the NFL. He played 140 games. He finished his career with 958 tackles. He also had 11.5 sacks and 89 tackles for loss. He was a very impactful player on defense.
Coaching Career: Leading the Rattlers
After his playing career, Earl Holmes returned to Florida A&M. In 2009, he joined the coaching staff. He worked under head coach Joe Taylor. Holmes steadily moved up the coaching ranks. By 2012, he became the team's defensive coordinator. This means he was in charge of the team's defense.
Later in 2012, Coach Taylor retired. Earl Holmes was then named the interim head coach. An interim coach fills the role temporarily. On January 11, 2013, he officially became the head coach. He led the Florida A&M Rattlers football team. He coached the team until October 28, 2014. During his time as head coach, his overall record was 6 wins and 16 losses.
