BALTIMORE RAVEN ED REED---THE BALL HAWK
Edward Reed 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 Houston Texans, and later theNew York Jets in 2013. He finished his career with the Baltimore Ravens, signing a one-day contract on May 7, 2015.
During his playing career, Reed was selected to nine total Pro Bowls, was the 2004 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award winner, and has an 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 with 1,590, and postseason interceptions (9, tied with three other players). His 64 regular season interceptions ranked him 6th on the NFL's all-time leader list at the time of his retirement. 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 best known for studying film to memorize opposing teams' tendencies, as well as his ability to lure quarterbacks into throwing interceptions.
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 his college career, Reed was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round (24th overall pick) of the 2002 NFL Draft.
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 9 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.
In 2006, Reed recorded 60 tackles and 5 interceptions and was voted to his third Pro Bowl. In 2007, he made 39 tackles and 7 interceptions.[20]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).
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 2 interceptions against Pittsburgh Steelersquarterback Ben Roethlisberger, surpassing 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. 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 returned 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 intended to play the 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. This interception was the 49ers' first interception, and the final score resulted in the 49ers' first Super Bowl loss in their franchise's 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 intended 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.
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. Reed made his Texans debut on September 22, 2013 against the Ravens in Baltimore. As the season progressed, Reed saw his playing time reduced. He eventually lost his starting job to Shiloh Keo during Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts.
On November 12, 2013, Reed was released by the Texans after displaying limited production with just 16 tackles, no interceptions, no forced fumbles, and no passes defended through 7 games.
Reed was signed by the New York Jets on November 14, 2013 after clearing waivers. The move reunited Reed with Rex Ryan, whom he played for when Ryan was the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens. Reed played his first game as a Jet on November 17, 2013 against the Buffalo Bills.
In Week 14, he recorded his first interception of the 2013 season against Oakland Raidersquarterback Matt McGloin. In Weeks 16 and 17, against the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins respectively, Reed had an interception late in each game's fourth quarter, to preserve the Jets' win. The interceptions helped the Jets close the season with two straight wins to finish 8-8, which played a major part in Rex Ryan keeping his job as head coach. For the rest of the 2013 season, Reed played in 7 games (started 5) with 22 tackles, 4 passes defended, and 3 interceptions. Overall in 2013 combined with both teams he played for, Reed played 14 games (started 10) with 42 total tackles, 4 passes defended, and 3 interceptions.
After spending the entire 2014 year out of football, Reed announced his retirement on May 6, 2015. He signed a one-day contract with the Ravens and officially retired on May 7, 2015.
