J. R. Reed
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Philadelphia Eagles — No. 30 | |
| Safety / Kick returner | |
| Date of birth: February 11, 1982 | |
| Place of birth: Tampa, Florida | |
| Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | Weight: 202 lb (92 kg) |
| National Football League debut | |
|---|---|
| 2004 for the Philadelphia Eagles | |
| Career history | |
| College: South Florida | |
| NFL Draft: 2004 / Round: 4 / Pick: 129 | |
Teams:
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Stats at NFL.com | |
Hebert Lee "J.R." Reed (born February 11, 1982) is an American football safety and kick returner who currently plays for the Philadelphia Eagles . He was originally drafted by the Eagles in the fourth round (129th overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at South Florida.
Reed had a strong rookie season in 2004 as a kick returner and was expected to get a full season at that position in 2005. Unfortunately, in early 2005, Reed suffered a freak injury which ended his 2005 season and has placed his football career in doubt. While jumping a fence near his home in Tampa, Reed cut the back of his knee and sustained damage to a nerve that affects movement in his lower leg and foot.
He returned to the Eagles with the aid of a special brace and played in the Pro Football Hall of Fame game against the Oakland Raiders on August 6, 2006. Reed's comeback was cut short as the Eagles released him on the final day of cuts before the season.
In October 2006, Reed was signed by the St. Louis Rams as a kick returner for the 2006 season, but he was cut after playing in six games. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons in December of that year to provide depth for Atlanta's depleted secondary. The Falcons cut him following the season.
He signed with the New York Giants for their 2007 training camp but was released on the final day of cuts. The Eagles re-signed him the next day. However, Reed muffed a critical punt late in the first game of the season against the Green Bay Packers. This led to his subsequent release and the Eagles' signing of Reno Mahe. However, he was re-signed within weeks to back up injured All-Pro safety Brian Dawkins. Reed has since returned to the Eagles' special teams and has resumed his role of kick returner. In a week 12 game against the New England Patriots, Reed was named the starter at the strong safety position when Sean Considine and Quintin Mikell could not play due to injuries.
