Ed Reed

All Music Guide:

Jazz vocalist and life survivor Ed Reed spent his childhood growing up in Watts, CA in the 1930s and '40s where he picked up a few singing tricks from jazz great Charles Mingus who occasionally minded his sister's children in the house across the street from where Reed lived. Reed left high school without graduating and enlisted in the U.S. Army. While serving, he developed a serious heroin addiction, which in turn led to four stints in San Quentin and Folsom prisons (during one incarceration he sang in a jazz combo that included fellow inmate Art Pepper). When not serving time, Reed sang wherever he could, doing the local circuit of open mics. Finally in 1985, after some forty years of serious drug addiction, he entered a program that helped him kick his drug dependency. Hoping to help others, he developed a personal lecture series called The Art of Living Well. In February 2006 he recorded his debut album, Love Stories, at Bay Records in Berkeley, CA and released it on his own Blue Shorts Records.

Wikipedia:

Edward Earl Reed, Jr. (born September 11, 1978) is an American football free safety for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Miami, where he was a two-time All-American. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft and played eleven seasons for the Ravens before signing with the Texans in 2013.

In his career, Reed has been selected to nine Pro Bowls, was the 2004 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award winner, and has the NFL record for the two longest interception returns (106 yards in 2004 and 108 yards in 2008). He also holds the all-time NFL record for interception return yards, currently at 1,506, and postseason interceptions (9, tied with three other players). He is considered one of the greatest safeties in NFL history and is often referred to as a "ball hawk." Since entering the league, Reed has been known for studying film to memorize opposing teams' tendencies, as well as his ability to lure quarterbacks into throwing interceptions.Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist}} template (see the help page).

Early years[edit]

Reed was born in Jefferson, Louisiana on September 11, 1978. He attended the Destrehan High School in Destrehan, Louisiana. 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.

He 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. He was a state qualifier in the javelin throw and the 4 × 100 metres relay.Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist}} template (see the help page).

College career[edit]

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. He played for the Hurricanes team that won the 2001 National Championship.

After redshirting in 1997, Reed led the team with 2 interceptions and 4 forced fumbles in 1998. He had 2 more interceptions in 1999. Reed was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American in 2000, and a unanimous first-team All-American in 2001. In 2001, he led the nation with nine interceptions for 209 yards (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' 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 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, Reed 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 throughout 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.Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist}} template (see the help page).

Contents

Professional career[edit]

Baltimore Ravens[edit]

After college, Reed was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round (24th overall pick) of the 2002 NFL Draft.

2002–2005[edit]

In his rookie season, Reed started in all 16 games and finished the campaign with 85 tackles, one sack and five interceptions. The following year he finished the season with 71 tackles and seven interceptions and was voted to his first Pro Bowl.

In 2004, Reed was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press. In addition to his record return in 2004, 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 himself broke it in 2008. Also in 2004, Reed became the only player in Pro Bowl history to block a punt and return it for a touchdown. In 2005, Reed only played in ten games due to an ankle injury and finished the campaign with 37 tackles and one interception.

2006–2009[edit]

In 2006, Reed recorded 60 tackles and five interceptions and was voted to his third Pro Bowl. In 2007, he made 39 tackles and seven interceptions. In the 2008 Pro Bowl he recorded two interceptions, tying the Pro Bowl record.

During a game against the Philadelphia Eagles on November 23, 2008, Reed returned an interception for what was originally reported as an 108-yard touchdown return (later officially adjusted to 107 yards by the Elias Sports Bureau). This set an NFL record, breaking his own record of 106 yards set in 2004 against the Cleveland Browns. The ball he intercepted and the jersey he wore during the play are now in the Hall of Fame. In the Ravens' 2008 AFC Wild Card game against the Miami Dolphins, Reed intercepted Chad Pennington twice, returning one for a touchdown.

He intercepted three passes in 2009, returning one for a 50-yard touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals, and added two more interceptions in the playoffs, but fumbled one away in a 20-3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

Reed was the only player unanimously voted onto the AP 2008 NFL All-Pro team. In 2009, Reed was selected to the Sporting News's Team of the Decade (2000's).

2010–2012[edit]

In 2010, Reed led the NFL in interceptions with 8, despite only playing in 10 games due to hip surgery.

In week 1 of the 2011 NFL Season, Reed recorded two interceptions against Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, passing Ronnie Lott for most games with multiple interceptions. He finished the regular season with three interceptions and a sack/fumble. Reed also intercepted T. J. Yates in the fourth quarter of the 2011 AFC Divisional Round of the playoffs. After deflecting another pass later to seal the win, Reed was injured slightly, but played the next week in an AFC Championship loss to the New England Patriots.

Reed skipped out on a mandatory minicamp, but showed up for training camp. In week 1 of the 2012 season, Reed returned an Andy Dalton interception 34 yards for a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals, making Reed the NFL's all-time leader in interception return yards. On November 19, Reed was given a 1 game suspension by the league "for repeated violations of the rule prohibiting hits to the head and neck area of defenseless players" following an unnecessary roughness call for a hit on Emmanuel Sanders. Reed was considered a repeat offender based on his prior hits to Deion Branch earlier in the season and to Drew Brees in 2010. This suspension was later overturned, and Reed was fined $50,000 for the hit.

Reed said on January 24, 2013 that despite repeated reports he might retire, he intends to play next year. Reed finally earned his first Super Bowl ring when the Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 in Super Bowl XLVII. In that game, Reed intercepted Colin Kaepernick for his ninth career postseason interception, which tied the NFL record. It was also the 49ers' first interception and loss in Super Bowl history.

Reed became a free agent after his contract expired at the end of the 2012 season. While he had considered retiring after the 2012 season, Reed stated after the Super Bowl that he intends to continue playing football in 2013.

Reed has scored a total of 13 touchdowns in his career with the Baltimore Ravens — 3 blocked punts, 1 punt return, 2 fumble returns and 7 interception returns.

Houston Texans[edit]

On March 22, 2013, Reed signed a three-year contract worth $15 million with $5 million guaranteed with the Houston Texans. Later in the 2013 offseason, Reed underwent arthroscopic surgery in his hip to repair a small labral tear.

NFL career statistics[edit]

NFL records[edit]

Ravens franchise records[edit]

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