How infamous evening owl Ed Reed turned the NFL’s feared ball hawk

Editor’s be aware: That is a part of a weeklong take a look at the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame Class of 2019, specializing in performs, moments and defining traits of the inductees. Induction is at 7 p.m. ET Saturday on ESPN.

Few envisioned that the 2002 NFL draft would come with a historic second for the Baltimore Ravens after it unfolded like a nightmare.

The workforce’s prime targets have been Boston Faculty working again William Inexperienced, Arizona State offensive deal with Levi Jones and Northwestern linebacker Napoleon Harris. However Jones went to Cincinnati at No. 10, and Inexperienced went to Cleveland at No. 16. Baltimore was set to take Harris with the No. 24 choose till the Oakland Raiders chosen him one spot earlier.

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For the primary time within the franchise’s historical past, the Ravens’ draft board was cleaned. Their prime 23 prospects have been all gone.

Then normal supervisor Ozzie Newsome turned his chair round to have a look at the highest remaining title on the board.

“Ed Reed. Let’s take him,” Newsome mentioned matter-of-factly.

Seventeen years later, Reed is the third participant drafted by the Ravens to achieve the Corridor of Fame, becoming a member of Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis.

That is the story of how a one-time fall-back choice turned one of many best defensive gamers and one of the distinctive characters in NFL historical past, as instructed by the individuals who skilled it:

The Ravens weren’t planning to pick Ed Reed with the 24th general choose within the 2002 NFL draft, however they positive are glad they did. AP Picture/ Matt Houston

Mercurial persona

When it got here to approaching Reed, the rule of thumb across the Ravens’ facility centered across the state of his wardrobe. When the hood of his sweatshirt was up and coated his face, that was the indication that Reed wasn’t going to speak to you. When the hood was down, that was the time when Reed smiled and made you’re feeling like his finest good friend.

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John Harbaugh, Ravens coach: “Individuals speak and say, ‘You had per week or two or three that you just weren’t speaking to at least one one other.’ Sure, however that was different guys, too! There have been instances Ed wasn’t speaking to different guys. That is simply sort of the way in which it was. Ed was locked in.”

Brian Billick, former Ravens coach: “Any coach or participant that thinks he is aware of what Ed Reed is pondering or what he’ll do is mistaken or mendacity. He may do issues that might make you scratch your head and assume, ‘What have been you doing there?’ Nevertheless it was an entire lot extra good than unhealthy. He is only a completely different man that method.”

Bart Scott, former teammate: “I knew he was completely different when he had a celebration in his third yr, and he had Maze that includes Frankie Beverly [a soul band that began in the 1970s]. I am like, ‘Who does this?’ This dude got here in with a fedora on and Maze that includes Frankie Beverly because the leisure. I am like, ‘ we’re 23, 24 years outdated.’ However that was Ed. He is simply an outdated soul.”

Harbaugh: “Is Ed Reed one among a sort? I would classify that as a rhetorical query, proper? Everyone knows. He is one among a sort in each method — only a good, good man. An awesome good friend, I can let you know that — not simply to me however an awesome good friend to everyone. You meet Ed Reed, he is your good friend. A one-of-a-kind participant, however to me, an iconic persona and an iconic soccer participant. Ed Reed is a legendary soccer participant.”

“While you discuss who’s the proper security? For me, it was Ed Reed,” former Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan mentioned. Gregory Shamus/Getty Photographs

Evening owl

Among the finest ball hawks in NFL historical past was additionally a infamous evening owl. He did all of his movie research at dwelling, staying up late to select up tendencies and plot his private plan of assault.

Jim Leonhard, former teammate: “Everybody asks: ‘Did you watch movie with him?’ No, he had his course of. He’d get out of the constructing, go dwelling and are available again and be like, ‘Did you see this, this and this?’ You are like, ‘Whoa, I did not see that.'”

“… in my thoughts, there are ranges within the Corridor of Fame, too. And, I believe Ed Reed, it might be exhausting to argue that he is not the best security within the historical past of soccer, proper?”

John Harbaugh

Haruki Nakamura, former teammate: “He was in a gathering simply handed out. His hoodie is totally pulled over his face, and he is sitting proper subsequent to [then secondary coach Chuck] Pagano. He is principally loud night breathing within the assembly. I am a rookie, and I am trying, like, ‘That is the best security of all time? What sort of habits does this man have?’ Pagano would swiftly pause the play and would faucet Ed, and he can be like, ‘Ed, Ed, I would like you to have a look at this.’ Ed would open one eye, take a look at the display screen and say, ‘Oh, yeah, that is this. This man goes to cross right here. Blah, blah, blah.’ We’d be lifeless silent listening. He would then shut his eyes and return to sleep. Pagano would press play, and all the pieces Ed simply mentioned would go throughout the display screen. We have been like, ‘What the hell?’ It is unbelievable.”

Leonhard: “We performed the Bengals. He had an interception return for a landing. I simply keep in mind the movie on Monday. I sat subsequent to him to take in as a lot information as I may. I keep in mind him leaning over early within the recreation. He tapped me and mentioned keep in mind the play. They’d a man wide-open and missed it. Swiftly, later within the recreation, that interception that got here up, he leans over to me and simply faucets me. He does not say something. You take a look at it, and you are like, it is the identical play. That proper there simply confirmed me his stage of intelligence and his capability to be taught throughout the recreation. That caught with me the remainder of my profession. You sort of understand that some persons are taking part in chess and a few persons are taking part in checkers.”

Nakamura: “The one factor that used to bug him probably the most was that folks used to say he was guessing. He would get so mad as a result of that they had no concept how excessive the chances on the performs that he was selecting to make.”

Ed Reed’s 107-yard interception return for a landing in 2008 proved to be one of many highlights of his profession. AP Picture/Gail Burton

Behind the performs

Reed set the NFL file with a 107-yard interception return in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2008. On second-and-goal from the Baltimore 1-yard line, Reed picked off Eagles backup quarterback Kevin Kolb in the long run zone and made three gamers miss tackles to go the size of the sphere.

Rex Ryan, Reed’s former defensive coordinator: “I keep in mind going into it that these guys f—ed up. What are you doing throwing down there? The man dropped again to move, and I knew it was a mistake from leap. It was hilarious.”

Nakamura: “[The Eagles] come as much as the formation, and the man that traces up on the wing is often a good finish. Nevertheless it was [wide receiver Reggie Brown] this time. Ed often traces as much as wherever that man’s facet is. He was speaking with any individual else, and I began screaming at him. Instantly, he sees the man and appears at me. I am like, ‘Oh, boy, right here it goes.’ For those who watch the play, he lets the man cross his face, provides the quarterback an opportunity to assume he can get it in there and does what Ed often does. He steps in entrance and takes off.”

Leonhard: “I simply keep in mind, you see the ball in his fingers, and your response is simply go discover a method to assist him in the long run zone. I wasn’t quick sufficient to get out in entrance. I tried to throw a block 5 yards behind him and watch him go create one thing. I keep in mind Haruki Nakamura attempting to get him to pitch to him within the final 5 yards after he already ran 105 yards. I do not know the way many individuals helped him on that play. All of us thought we helped him.”

In a 2008 wild-card recreation on the Miami Dolphins, Reed picked off Chad Pennington with some baiting.

Scott: “Earlier than the play, Reed yells, ‘Bart, change.’ He noticed one thing within the movie and acknowledged the formation. He knew the slant was coming, and he knew that he wished to leap the slant. With me being within the field, the quarterback may see me going to the slant. With him coming from excessive, everyone on the workforce and everyone on the sphere knew he was alleged to be the deep participant, and I used to be within the fireplace zone. So no person knew what we have been doing besides me and him. It was the extent of belief. What did he do? He made an enormous interception on a three-step drop. In typical Ed vogue, he is alleged to be the deep third, and he is leaping the fast slant.”

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In October 2009, Reed intercepted Carson Palmer and returned it 52 yards for a landing.

Harbaugh: “[Lardarius] Webb is over right here on his personal on the X, however he is not on his personal. He thinks he has inside assist from Ed. They get right into a sure sort of a cut up the place they at all times run a duck by No. 2 underneath No. three. And Ed noticed the cut up and noticed the formation, and as quickly because the ball snapped, he beelines proper to the spot, picks it off and goes to the home. We’re all going loopy, going loopy, and he runs over. I leap, and I am going, ‘You instructed Webby, proper? You instructed Webby, proper?’ ‘No, Webby was nice! He did not want me!’ However to me, that is Ed Reed. The man had a sixth sense concerning the recreation of soccer.”

Staking the declare

Harbaugh: “You go into the Corridor of Fame, you are a legendary soccer participant. However in my thoughts, there are ranges within the Corridor of Fame too. And I believe Ed Reed, it might be exhausting to argue that he is not the best security within the historical past of soccer, proper? He is one of many prime 10 gamers perhaps within the historical past of the sport, in my thoughts.”

Scott: “He had the knack for the spectacular. He was one among my favourite teammates of all time as a result of he had the power to be higher than you however not act like he was higher than you.”

Ryan: “I wasn’t round Paul Krause or among the different guys, however I am simply telling you that this dude was wonderful. While you discuss who’s the proper security? For me, it was Ed Reed.”