Pees began his coaching career at Elmwood High School (Bloomdale, Ohio) after being the defensive coordinator for two years he got the head coaching position. A few years later, he was hired to start his college coaching career in 1979 at the University of Findlay as their defensive coordinator and secondary coach following six years as a high school coach. In 1983, Pees moved to Miami University, where he was also the defensive coordinator and secondary coach of the team. From 1987 to 1989, Pees served as the secondary coach at the United States Naval Academy. Pees then took the defensive coordinator job, under Nick Saban, at the University of Toledo, which he held for four seasons with the team. Pees spent the 1994 season under head coach Lou Holtz as the secondary coach for the University of Notre Dame. From 1995 to 1997, Pees worked as the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach again under Saban at Michigan State University. In 1998, he earned his first head coaching job at Kent State University. Pees left the program after the 2003 season with a six-year record of 17–51.
NFL
New England Patriots
Pees in 2009
Prior to the 2004 NFL season, Pees left Kent State for the Patriots, spending two years as the Patriots' linebackers coach under head coach Bill Belichick, another Saban associate. Pees had coached alongside Bill's father, Steve Belichick, at Navy in the late 1980s.
After the 2005 season, Pees was promoted to defensive coordinator, replacing Eric Mangini, who became the head coach of the New York Jets. With his contract set to expire following the 2009 season, Pees chose not to return to the Patriots on January 14, 2010.
Baltimore Ravens
On January 26, 2010, Pees was hired as the linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens. On January 27, 2012, Pees was promoted to defensive coordinator by head coach John Harbaugh. Pees was on the coaching staff that won Super Bowl XLVII.[1] Pees announced his retirement on January 1, 2018.[2]
Pees' son, Matt, is a defensive analyst for the Chicago Bears. They previously worked together on the Titans and Falcons, where Matt was a quality control coach and defensive assistant, respectively, under his father.[9]
