Buffalo made the second addition to their defensive coaching staff this week by announcing that former perennial Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed will join the organization as the assistant defensive backs coach. Widely seen as the best safety of his generation, Reed shares the record for most career playoff interceptions (9), most career interception return yards (1,590) and the longest interception return for a touchdown (108). Now he'll be sharing his experience and football intelligence with Buffalo's defensive backs.
"Ed Reed is going to be such a great asset to our team," said head coach Rex Ryan. "Obviously he's played in this system and been an MVP caliber guy in this system. He's going to be such a great asset for players. He's a real student of the game as well and he's going to be a phenomenal coach."
A nine-time Pro Bowl selection and five-tive First Team All-Pro, Reed was also the 2004 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He was also part of the Baltimore Ravens team that won Super Bowl XLVII in 2012. After announcing his retirement last May, Reed signed a one-day contract with Baltimore to retire a Raven.
Known for baiting opposing quarterbacks into throwing interceptions, Reed stands sixth on the league's all-time interceptions list with 64 regular season picks in his 12-year career.
Reed, 37, played under Ryan for two different teams. The former free safety first played under Ryan in Baltimore where the Bills head coach was the Ravens defensive coordinator from 2005-2008. Ryan and Reed then reunited in New York in 2013 when the Jets signed Reed in his final NFL season appearing in their last seven games. His first game in a Jets uniform came against the Bills on Nov. 13th of that season.
His job on Buffalo's coaching staff will mark his first foray into coaching, but renowned for his film study as a player, Reed is expected to make a smooth transition in imparting such wisdom on the men who play in the Bills defensive backfield.
"Having spent time with Ed in Baltimore and then New York - I can attest to the incredibly high level of professionalism he is going to bring with him to Buffalo," said Ryan. "He's going to teach guys how he studies film, bring the guys along and add so much in that way."
