Garland Rivers facts for kids
| No. 32 | |
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| Position: | Defensive back |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | November 3, 1964 Canton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight: | 181 lb (82 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | McKinley (Canton, Ohio) |
| College: | Michigan |
| NFL Draft: | 1987 / Round: 4 / Pick: 92 |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Player stats at PFR | |
Garland A. Rivers (born November 3, 1964) is a former American football player. He played as a defensive back. The Detroit Lions picked him in the 1987 NFL draft. He played for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League (NFL).
Before joining the NFL, Garland was an All-American player. He played for the Michigan Wolverines football team. He set a school record for tackles in a single game. This record still stands today. After college, he played several seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL).
College Football Career
Garland Rivers went to Canton McKinley High School. His team won the 1981 Ohio football championship. Then he went to the University of Michigan. In 1983, he was the only freshman to earn a varsity letter in football.
Rivers wore jersey number 13 for the Michigan Wolverines. He started 32 games in a row. A shoulder injury stopped this streak. During his time at Michigan, he made six interceptions. One of these was returned for a touchdown. Another interception saved the game in the 1986 Fiesta Bowl. Michigan won 27–23 against the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team.
In his senior year, Rivers started 12 of 13 games. His team won the Big Ten Conference championship. He was one of three All-Americans that season. The team finished with 11 wins and 2 losses. They were invited to play in the Rose Bowl. As a sophomore, Rivers made 17 tackles and one assist. This was in a game against the Brigham Young Cougars football team in the 1984 Holiday Bowl. His 17 tackles is still a school record for a single game.
After his college football career, Garland returned to the University of Michigan. He completed his bachelor's degree in 1988.
Professional Football Career
The Detroit Lions picked Garland Rivers in the 1987 NFL Draft. He was the 92nd player chosen overall. He played a short time for the Chicago Bears in 1987. The Bears had a good season, winning 11 games and losing 4. They made it to the 1987-88 NFL playoffs.
Garland Rivers also played several years in the Arena Football League. He played as a wide receiver and linebacker. He mostly played on defense. He played for the Albany Firebirds in 1990 and 1991. The Firebirds made the playoffs in 1991. They lost to the Detroit Drive in the first round.
After that, he played for the Arizona Rattlers in 1992 and 1993. The Rattlers made the playoffs in 1993. They reached the second round before losing to the Detroit Drive.
After his playing career, Rivers became a coach. He coached at Timken, McKinley, and GlenOak. As of 2012, he worked for Indian River School.
Family Life
In 2012, Garland Rivers was honored. He was inducted into the Stark High School Hall of Fame. Garland has three sons and two daughters. His son, Jewone Snow, also played football. Jewone played for the McKinley Bulldogs and then for West Virginia in college.
