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Ed Reed To Announce His Retirement
Quarterbacks can finally rest easy. Ed Reed is officially retiring.
For 12 seasons, Reed was constantly lurking.
New England quarterback Tom Brady used to wear a wristband when playing against the Ravens that said, “Find 20 on every play,” referring to Reed’s jersey number.
Reed recorded an interception in his final game as a Raven in Super Bowl XLVII. The following year, he left for one final season split between the Texans and Jets. He still recorded three interceptions in his final four career games.
Even in pseudo-retirement, Reed was still prowling, still unpredictable.
He tweeted about workouts earlier this offseason, seemingly baiting people – just like he did so many quarterbacks – into the idea that he wanted to make a comeback. On April Fools this year, he tweeted that he was “#reeeeedtired.” Later that day, after some media outlets took the bait, Reed tweeted that it was a joke, but added “#couldleadtheNFLinInts.”
About this time last year, Reed was still looking to play. He said he was in no rush to file any official papers, and said he would prefer to just fade into the abyss, similar to Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders, never to be seen again.
It’s like he always wanted to be a ghost.
But now, more than a year since his last game, Reed has decided to officially call it quits and let his team of 11 years honor No. 20 during the franchise’s 20th anniversary season.
Reed will make his announcement Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Under Armour Performance Center with coaches and former teammates in attendance. The event will be streamed live on the Baltimore Ravens’ website, mobile apps, mobile site, and iPad app for fans to watch.
If it weren’t for linebacker Ray Lewis, Reed would be the greatest defender in Ravens history. Instead, Lewis and Reed worked side by side creating Baltimore’s defensive brand.
Reed was a true playmaker that kept quarterbacks and offensive coordinators on edge, constantly guessing. It’s in part because Reed himself was guessing on the field. And it was no accident that he often guessed right.
Reed’s gifted athleticism, studious habits and ball-hawking mentality made him the model for NFL free safeties of his generation, and one of the greatest ball hawks to ever play the game.
His highlights are backed up by gaudy statistics. His 64 career interceptions rank sixth all-time in NFL history. Everybody ahead of him had longer careers.
It wasn’t just making the interception that made Reed special. It was what he did with it afterwards.
Reed has the most interception return yards in NFL history with 1,590. He holds the top two records for longest interception returns in NFL history. He had a 107-yard return for a touchdown against the Eagles in 2008 and a 106-yarder against the Browns in 2004.
Reed was seemingly sometimes the Ravens’ best offensive player, too. He scored 14 touchdowns during his career (including the playoffs) and is the only player in NFL history to score touchdowns off a punt return, blocked punt, interception and fumble recovery.
He blocked four punts in his career and returned three four touchdowns (tied for an NFL record). He had 13 multi-interception games, the most in NFL history. His nine career postseason interceptions are tied for the most in league history with Charlie Waters, Bill Simpson and Ronnie Lott.
He was clutch. He was dynamic. He was a leader on the field, in the locker room and in the community.
Finally, in the 2012 season, headded champion to those superlatives.
The University of Miami product joined the Ravens as a first-round pick (No. 24) in 2002 – two years after Baltimore’s stifling defense led the franchise to its first Super Bowl.
Eleven years later, Reed went home to New Orleans, picked off San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and raised the Lombardi Trophy. With gray in his hair and beard, Reed had finally accomplished it all.
The Ravens were waiting for Reed to officially retire before putting him in their Ring of Honor. Now the NFL Hall of Fame is the only box unchecked on Reed’s resume. This time, it’s out of his control, but Reed is once again lurking on the doorstep.
So Ed and Troy can be in the same HOF class now!
Definitely one of the best football players I've ever seen.
Quarterbacks can finally rest easy. Ed Reed is officially retiring.
For 12 seasons, Reed was constantly lurking.
New England quarterback Tom Brady used to wear a wristband when playing against the Ravens that said, “Find 20 on every play,” referring to Reed’s jersey number.
Reed recorded an interception in his final game as a Raven in Super Bowl XLVII. The following year, he left for one final season split between the Texans and Jets. He still recorded three interceptions in his final four career games.
Even in pseudo-retirement, Reed was still prowling, still unpredictable.
He tweeted about workouts earlier this offseason, seemingly baiting people – just like he did so many quarterbacks – into the idea that he wanted to make a comeback. On April Fools this year, he tweeted that he was “#reeeeedtired.” Later that day, after some media outlets took the bait, Reed tweeted that it was a joke, but added “#couldleadtheNFLinInts.”
About this time last year, Reed was still looking to play. He said he was in no rush to file any official papers, and said he would prefer to just fade into the abyss, similar to Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders, never to be seen again.
It’s like he always wanted to be a ghost.
But now, more than a year since his last game, Reed has decided to officially call it quits and let his team of 11 years honor No. 20 during the franchise’s 20th anniversary season.
Reed will make his announcement Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Under Armour Performance Center with coaches and former teammates in attendance. The event will be streamed live on the Baltimore Ravens’ website, mobile apps, mobile site, and iPad app for fans to watch.
If it weren’t for linebacker Ray Lewis, Reed would be the greatest defender in Ravens history. Instead, Lewis and Reed worked side by side creating Baltimore’s defensive brand.
Reed was a true playmaker that kept quarterbacks and offensive coordinators on edge, constantly guessing. It’s in part because Reed himself was guessing on the field. And it was no accident that he often guessed right.
Reed’s gifted athleticism, studious habits and ball-hawking mentality made him the model for NFL free safeties of his generation, and one of the greatest ball hawks to ever play the game.
His highlights are backed up by gaudy statistics. His 64 career interceptions rank sixth all-time in NFL history. Everybody ahead of him had longer careers.
It wasn’t just making the interception that made Reed special. It was what he did with it afterwards.
Reed has the most interception return yards in NFL history with 1,590. He holds the top two records for longest interception returns in NFL history. He had a 107-yard return for a touchdown against the Eagles in 2008 and a 106-yarder against the Browns in 2004.
Reed was seemingly sometimes the Ravens’ best offensive player, too. He scored 14 touchdowns during his career (including the playoffs) and is the only player in NFL history to score touchdowns off a punt return, blocked punt, interception and fumble recovery.
He blocked four punts in his career and returned three four touchdowns (tied for an NFL record). He had 13 multi-interception games, the most in NFL history. His nine career postseason interceptions are tied for the most in league history with Charlie Waters, Bill Simpson and Ronnie Lott.
He was clutch. He was dynamic. He was a leader on the field, in the locker room and in the community.
Finally, in the 2012 season, headded champion to those superlatives.
The University of Miami product joined the Ravens as a first-round pick (No. 24) in 2002 – two years after Baltimore’s stifling defense led the franchise to its first Super Bowl.
Eleven years later, Reed went home to New Orleans, picked off San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and raised the Lombardi Trophy. With gray in his hair and beard, Reed had finally accomplished it all.
The Ravens were waiting for Reed to officially retire before putting him in their Ring of Honor. Now the NFL Hall of Fame is the only box unchecked on Reed’s resume. This time, it’s out of his control, but Reed is once again lurking on the doorstep.
So Ed and Troy can be in the same HOF class now!
Definitely one of the best football players I've ever seen.
