Glenn Pires facts for kids
| Personal information | |
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| Born: | 1958 (age 66–67) New Bedford, Massachusetts |
| Career information | |
| High school: | New Bedford (New Bedford, Massachusetts) |
| College: | Springfield (MA) |
| Career history | |
| As coach: | |
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Glenn M. Pires, born in 1958, is a well-known American football coach. He has worked with many teams, from high school to the professional National Football League (NFL). Pires is especially known for coaching linebackers, who are key defensive players in football.
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Glenn Pires' Early Life
Glenn Pires grew up in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He was a talented athlete in high school. He played both football and ran track for three years.
In football, he played as an offensive guard and linebacker. These are important positions on the team. He was even chosen for several all-star teams after the season.
Pires continued playing football at Springfield College. There, he was recognized as an "All-ECAC" and "All-New England" player for two years. This means he was one of the best players in his college division.
Track and Field Achievements
Besides football, Pires was also a star in track and field. He competed in throwing events like the shot put and discus. He won championships in these events in his area.
His discus throw of 170 feet, 9 inches is still a record at New Bedford High. In 1979, he became a national champion in the 35-pound weight hammer throw. Because of his amazing achievements, Glenn Pires was added to the New Bedford High School Hall of Fame in 2002.
Coaching Career
Pires began his coaching journey at Melrose High School. He then went back to his old high school in New Bedford to coach alongside his former teacher. After that, he coached at several colleges. These included Syracuse University, Dartmouth College, and Michigan State University.
Coaching in the NFL
In 1996, Pires moved from College football to the National Football League (NFL). He became an assistant linebackers coach for the Arizona Cardinals. He stayed with them until 2000.
Pires was very proud of his work with player Ronald McKinnon. McKinnon was not drafted by any team, but Pires helped him become a strong player. McKinnon ended up playing in the NFL for ten years!
After the Cardinals, Pires joined the Detroit Lions. He continued to coach linebackers there. Later, he worked for the Miami Dolphins for five years. He started as an assistant defensive line coach. Then he became a defensive quality control coach. Finally, he became the assistant linebacker coach in 2007.
He then moved to the Atlanta Falcons. He coached their linebackers for seven years. In 2014, with Pires' help, player Paul Worrilow made 142 tackles. This was the fifth-highest number of tackles in the entire NFL that year.
In 2015, Pires joined the Chicago Bears. He was excited to coach for a team with such a rich history. He especially looked forward to coaching the Bears' famous linebackers. He said it was a "great challenge" to keep up their tradition. Pires left the Bears after the 2018 season.
Personal Life
Glenn Pires' family has roots in Cape Verde. His maternal grandmother came from there.
