Ed Reed
Edward Earl Reed Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League, spending the majority of his career with the Baltimore Ravens. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, where he played on Miami's 2001 national championship team and was named a unanimous All-American. He was selected by the Ravens in the first round of the 2002 NFL draft and played 11 seasons with them before playing with the Houston Texans and New York Jets in 2013.
During his playing career, Reed was selected to nine total Pro Bowls, was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2004, won Super Bowl XLVII, and has an NFL record for the two longest interception returns. He also holds the all-time NFL record for interception return yards, with 1,590, and postseason interceptions. His 64 regular season interceptions ranked him 6th on the NFL's all-time leader list at the time of his retirement. Due to his accolades, Reed is considered to be one of the greatest safeties in NFL history, and was often referred to as a "ball hawk" during his prime. Reed was known for studying film to memorize opposing teams' tendencies, as well as his ability to lure quarterbacks into throwing interceptions. Reed was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
In 2016, Reed worked as an assistant defensive backs coach for the Buffalo Bills. In 2020, he was hired by the University of Miami, his alma mater, to serve as their football team's chief of staff, an advisory role to head coach Manny Diaz.
Early life
Reed was born in St. Rose, St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, on September 11, 1978. He attended Destrehan High School in Destrehan, Louisiana. With the Fighting Wildcats football team, he was an all-state selection at defensive back and as a kick returner and also the New Orleans Times-Picayune District Most Valuable Defensive Player.Reed totaled 83 tackles, seven interceptions, three forced fumbles and 12 passes deflected in his senior year while also seeing action at running back and quarterback. He also returned three punts for touchdowns. Reed also played basketball, baseball, and track & field. His jersey number 20 was retired by the football team in 2005.
Track and field
In addition to football, Reed was a standout track athlete at Destrehan High School. He was a member of the state champion 4 × 100 meters relay squad. He set a high school record throw of in the javelin throw. Also a standout performer in the long jump and triple jump, he recorded personal bests in high school of over and over, respectively.While in college, Reed joined the Miami Hurricanes track and field team in 2000, where he competed as a jumper and javelin thrower. He placed 7th in the triple jump at the 2000 Big East Championships, setting a career-best jump of. In addition, he finished 3rd in the javelin throw, with a personal-best throw of.
College career
Reed received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Miami, where he was a standout defensive back for coach Butch Davis and coach Larry Coker's Miami Hurricanes football teams from 1997 to 2001. Reed was a member of the Hurricane's 2001 National Championship team.After redshirting in the 1997 season, Reed led the team with two interceptions and four forced fumbles in the 1998 season. He had two more interceptions in the 1999 season. Reed was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American in the 2000 season, and a unanimous first-team All-American in the 2001 season. In 2001, he led the nation with nine interceptions for 209 yards, which was a school record, and three touchdowns. He helped seal a memorable win over Boston College in 2001 when he grabbed the ball out of teammate Matt Walters's hands, who had just intercepted it, and raced 80 yards for a touchdown. Reed was honored as the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2001, and was named National Defensive Player of the Year by Football News. He was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and was a semifinalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
Reed set several records during his time at the University of Miami. He holds the record for career interceptions with 21, career interception return yards with 389, and interceptions returned for touchdowns with five. He also blocked four punts during his four-year career. In addition, he was a member of the track and field team during his years at Miami and was a Big East champion in the javelin.
Reed and Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne were roommates during their time at the University of Miami. He graduated in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in liberal arts. Reed was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame as part of its Class of 2012 at a banquet held in Miami on March 29, 2012.
Reed was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on January 7, 2018.
College statistics
Professional career
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens selected Reed in the first round of the 2002 NFL draft. Reed was the second safety drafted, after Oklahoma's Roy Williams was selected eighth overall by the Dallas Cowboys.2002
On August 3, 2002, the Baltimore Ravens signed Reed to a five-year, $6.18 million contract.File:Chris Henry.jpg|thumb|left|175px|Reed, Ray Lewis, and Chris McAlister playing for the Ravens against Chris Henry of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2006
Reed entered training camp slated as the starting free safety after the role was left vacant due to the departures of Rod Woodson and Corey Harris. Head coach Brian Billick named Reed the starting free safety to begin the regular season, alongside strong safety and fellow rookie Will Demps.
He made his professional regular season debut and first career start in the Baltimore Ravens' season-opener at the Carolina Panthers and recorded three solo tackles in their 10–7 loss. On September 30, 2002, Reed recorded four solo tackles, a pass deflection, blocked a kick, and made his first career interception during a 34–28 win against the Denver Broncos in Week 4. Reed made his first career interception off a pass attempt by Broncos' quarterback Brian Griese and blocked a punt by Tom Rouen in the second quarter to set up a 13-yard drive for a touchdown. The following week, he made three solo tackles, a season-high four pass deflections, and intercepted a pass off of Browns' quarterback Tim Couch during a 26–21 win at the Cleveland Browns in Week 5. In Week 6, Reed recorded three solo tackles and made his first career sack on quarterback Peyton Manning during the Ravens' 22–20 loss at the Indianapolis Colts. The following week, he collected a season-high seven solo tackles as the Ravens defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 17–10. On November 10, 2002, Reed recorded five solo tackles, two pass deflections, and made a season-high two interceptions off passes by Bengals' quarterback Jon Kitna in the Ravens' 38–27 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10. Reed made his first interception of the game in the second quarter and was returning it for a touchdown when Bengals' wide receiver T. J. Houshmandzadeh forced him to fumble the ball by hitting his arm as Reed was extending the ball in celebration. His fumble bounced into the endzone and was eventually recovered by Bengals' wide receiver Peter Warrick for a touchback. He started in all 16 games as a rookie in 2002 and made a career-high 85 combined tackles, 12 pass deflections, five interceptions and one sack. He was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team.
2003
Reed and Will Demps were retained as the starting safeties during the 2003 season. Reed started in the Baltimore Ravens' season-opener at the Pittsburgh Steelers and collected a season-high ten combined tackles and a pass deflection in their 34–15 loss. The following week, he collected three solo tackles, a season-high three pass deflections, a season-high two interceptions, and scored his first career touchdown during a 33–13 victory against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2. He intercepted a pass by Kelly Holcomb in the second quarter and returned it for a 54-yard touchdown. On October 12, 2003, he recorded six combined tackles, deflected a pass, made an interception, and blocked a punt before returning it for a touchdown during a 26–18 victory at the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6. Reed blocked a punt by Scott Player, recovered it, and then returned it for a 22-yard touchdown in the second quarter. In Week 12, he made seven combined tackles and returned a blocked punt by Tom Rouen for a 16-yard touchdown during a 44–41 win against the Seattle Seahawks. He was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 6. Reed was selected to the 2004 Pro Bowl, marking the first Pro Bowl selection of his career. He started in all 16 games in 2003 and recorded 71 combined tackles, 16 pass deflections, seven interceptions, three touchdowns, and a sack.The Baltimore Ravens finished first in the AFC North with a 10–6 record and earned a playoff berth. On January 3, 2004, Reed started in his first career playoff game and finished the Ravens' 20–17 loss to the Tennessee Titans in the Wild Card Round with one pass deflection and an interception.
2004: Defensive Player of the Year
Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan retained Reed and Will Demps as the starting safeties in 2004. On September 26, 2004, Reed recorded three combined tackles, a season-high three pass deflections, and intercepted two passes by Bengals' quarterback Carson Palmer during a 23–9 win at the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3. In Week 9, Reed recorded three combined tackles, deflected a pass, and returned an interception by quarterback Jeff Garcia for a 106-yard touchdown as the Ravens defeated the Cleveland Browns 27–13. In Week 12, he collected a season-high nine combined tackles and broke up a pass during a 24–3 loss at the New England Patriots. Reed was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for November. On December 23, 2004, it was announced that Reed was selected to play in the 2005 Pro Bowl. He started in all 16 games and recorded 76 combined tackles, eight pass deflections, a career-high nine interceptions, three forced fumbles, and two sacks.Reed was named as a First-team All-Pro for the first time. He was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press. In addition, Reed set an NFL mark for most interception return yardage in a season, accumulating 358 return yards on nine interceptions; Reed held this record until 2009, when it was exceeded by Darren Sharper. He also returned an interception 106 yards for a touchdown, which was an NFL record until Reed reclaimed the record in 2008.