In his youth, Pears played as a forward, before shifting to the backline at the age of 16, where he spent his entire AFL career.
He played the role of a key position defender in his second season, taking on big dominant forwards such as Daniel Bradshaw, Jarryd Roughead and Justin Koschitzke.
[2] Off-season surgery on a foot fracture that set back his return to senior football saw Pears’ bad run with injury continue in 2011.
He played his first game of the year against North Melbourne in round 13, but saw his season further stifled with injury after breaking his lower leg and then straining his hamstring in the elimination final.
Then on 12 January 2016 Pears was named as one of 34 past and present Essendon players found guilty over their use of illegal supplements during the 2012 AFL season.