Same game, new role for Ed Reed

Published 9:25 am Saturday, February 1, 2020

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ST. ROSE – The name Ed Reed has been etched for all time in a lot of different places over the years.

It is etched in the University of Miami Hall of Fame, as well as the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame, the Baltimore Ravens Ring of Honor and, as of August 2019, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

It also lives in the minds of local football fans who watched the youngster from St. Rose begin his amazing legacy on fields throughout the area as a Destrehan Wildcat.

The successful football player has a new role in life, Chief of Staff at the University of Miami. The announcement came this week. Reed will serve in an advisory position and according to the University, this would include all aspects of the football program, including strategic planning, quality control, operations, player evaluation and player development. Reed will also provide assistance in team building, student-athlete mentorship and recruiting, as permissible under NCAA rules.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ed back to Coral Gables,” Coach Manny Diaz said. “He is not only one of the most decorated players in Miami football history but also a devoted ‘Cane who cares deeply about this program. All of our players, coaches and staff will be fortunate to tap into his experience, knowledge and passion on a regular basis.”

Reed cemented his status as a stellar defensive back in Miami. He finished with 21 interceptions for 389 yards and was a Consensus All-American in 2001 and 2002. He holds Miami records for career interceptions, most career interceptions returned for touchdowns (4), most career interception return yards (389) and most season interception return yards (206 in 2001). He is second in games started with 48, tied for third in consecutive games with an interception (4, twice), is tied for fourth in consecutive games played (49) and tied for 6th in total games played (49).

Reed was consensus All-Big East (2000, 2001), the 2001 National Defensive Player of the Year by the Football News, a 2001 Jim Thorpe finalist, a 2001 Bronko Nagurski semi-finalist and was named a Freshman All American by the Football News and Sporting News in 1998. He also continued to excel in track and field, winning the javelin competition at the 1999 Big East Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

He also graduated with a liberal arts degree and a National Championship ring (2001).

There was little doubt about what would come next.

Reed was drafted in the first round of the 2002 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens (24th overall) and went on to play 12 spectacular seasons in which he was selected first-team All-Pro five times and was elected to the Pro Bowl nine times. He had 64 career interceptions (seventh on the NFL’s all-time list), with seven touchdowns. He also broke up 141 passes in 174 games and had 13 fumble recoveries and 11 forced fumbles.

He is still the NFL’s leader in interception return yards with 1,590 and holds the record for the longest interception return, a 107-yard return in 2008 against Philadelphia, which broke the previous record of 106 yards set in 2004 – by Reed.

  • Lori Lyons contributed to this report.