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 professional football player. He was a defensive back who played in the National Football League (NFL) and the Arena Football League (AFL). Rivers was a star player for the Michigan Wolverines football team in college, where he even set a record for the most tackles in a single game.
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College Football Career
Garland Rivers went to Canton McKinley High School and helped his team win the 1981 Ohio high school football championship. After high school, he joined the University of Michigan football team in 1983. He was the only freshman to earn a varsity letter that year.
Rivers wore the number 13 for the Michigan Wolverines. He started 32 games in a row until a shoulder injury stopped his streak. During his time at Michigan, he made six interceptions. One of these was returned for a touchdown. Another important interception happened in the 1986 Fiesta Bowl, helping his team win 27–23 against the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team.
In his senior year, Rivers started 12 out of 13 games for the Big Ten Conference champions. He was one of three players from his team to be named an All-American that season. The team finished with an 11–2 record and played in the Rose Bowl. Rivers also set a school record with 17 tackles and one assist in a game against the Brigham Young Cougars football team in the 1984 Holiday Bowl. This record for single-game tackles still stands today.
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, who made it to the 1987-88 NFL playoffs.
After his time in the NFL, Garland Rivers played for several years in the Arena Football League (AFL). He played as a wide receiver and linebacker, but mostly focused on defense.
Playing in the Arena Football League
Rivers played for the Albany Firebirds in 1990 and 1991. In 1991, the Firebirds made it to the AFL playoffs. They were the fourth seed but lost in the first round.
He then joined the Arizona Rattlers for the 1992 and 1993 seasons. In 1993, the Rattlers also reached the AFL playoffs as the fourth seed. They made it to the second round before being defeated.
Coaching and Family Life
After his playing career, Rivers became a coach. He has coached at Timken, McKinley, and GlenOak. As of 2012, he worked for Indian River School.
In 2012, Garland Rivers was inducted into the Stark High School Hall of Fame. He has three sons and two daughters. His son, Jewone Snow, also played football for McKinley High School and later for the West Virginia college team.
