Future Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed has mentioned a desire to coach on more than one occasion, and a former Ravens defensive coordinator is giving him the opportunity.
The Buffalo Bills announced Wednesday that the longtime Ravens safety will join Rex Ryan’s staff as the assistant defensive backs coach. Ryan served as Reed’s defensive coordinator from 2005-2008 and was his final head coach when the safety joined the New York Jets midway through the 2013 season, his final year in the NFL.
Reed officially announced his retirement last year and was inducted into the Ravens’ Ring of Honor at M&T Bank Stadium in November. He is eligible for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after the 2018 season.
“Ed Reed is going to be such a great asset to our team,” Ryan said in a statement released by the Bills. “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.”
The 37-year-old has never coached before and didn’t always have the smoothest relationship with his many coaches through the years, but he took on more of a mentoring role with young Ravens teammates late in his playing career, drawing praise from the likes of Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams for making them better players. Reed will try to help improve a Buffalo pass defense that ranked 19th in the NFL in 2015.
The nine-time Pro Bowl selection was famous for his ability to study opponents and dissect plays, traits that were cultivated by longtime teammate and future Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis when Reed entered the league in 2002.
“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,” Ryan said. “He’s going to teach guys how he studies film, bring the guys along, and add so much in that way.”
Reed will have the chance to coach one of his former teammates in the Baltimore secondary as Corey Graham will be entering his third year with Buffalo.
With Ryan already hiring twin brother Rob to be his new assistant head coach earlier this month, you would think HBO would be salivating at the prospects of featuring the Bills in their annual “Hard Knocks” series this summer. Buffalo is among the teams eligible to be selected this year.
