Ed Reed Recognized Early the Importance of Team
His goal in college wasn't just to make it to the NFL, but for his team to win a National Championship.
By Faith on the Field Staff, November 4, 2021
Ed Reed was a five-time All-Pro Safety, nine-time Pro Bowler with the Baltimore Ravens, and also played one season with Houston and the Jets. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
That is a lot of personal accolades for one athlete.
But Ed Reed recognized, early in his college playing days, that if their team at the University of Miami could learn to work together, they could see great things happen together.
“When I actually got on the field my sophomore year and they wanted to talk about All American and all that stuff, I was all about winning the national championship first, and helping as many teammates as I can achieve their goal.”
“(I wanted them to) understand that if we win together that there will be more opportunities for others, you know, like, truly understanding, like what we can do together in and helping other people and bringing other people along.”
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Reed knew that the most important thing in football isn’t necessarily what is in the win column.
“Because you can be winning games, you know, or losing games, and you won't bring anybody with you.”
Rob Maaddi asked Reed what was it that allowed him to have sustained mental discipline as a long-term NFL athlete. Reed believes it has to do with who is around you.
“Staying grounded. Having the right people around you, the right partners around you, doing the little things working in the community, being close to the community and the people.”
When it’s all said and done, Reed recognizes that we are simply instruments in the Lord’s hand to be used as He wills.
“When it came to a game and I'm going out to make plays, I truly was putting it in the Lord’s hands to use me as a vessel that I am, whether it was on the field or off the field. It wasn't because of me, it was because of His grace.”
