Former NFL star Ed Reed lands head coaching job with Bethune-Cookman

Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed has been named the new head coach of Bethune-Cookman University’s football team, the school announced on Tuesday.

Reed, who played for the Baltimore Ravens and the Miami Dolphins, will follow in the footsteps of other former NFL players who have become college coaches, including Deion Sanders and Eddie George.

Sanders recently left his position as head coach of Jackson State to take a job at Colorado, while George is the head coach at Tennessee State.

Bethune-Cookman, which is a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), finished the season with a 2-9 record, leading to the firing of their previous head coach, Terry Sims, after seven years at the helm.

Reed is considered one of the greatest defenders in NFL history, having played for the Baltimore Ravens from 2002-2012 and establishing himself as a ball-hawking safety with excellent interception skills. He finished his career after the 2013 season, having played for the New York Jets and the Houston Texans.

In 2019, Reed was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He ranks seventh all-time in career interceptions with 64, holds the NFL record for the most multi-interception games with 12, and is tied for the most playoff interceptions with nine.

In addition to his success in the NFL, Reed was also a member of the University of Miami’s 2001 national championship team.

He has previous coaching experience, having served as an assistant defensive backs coach for the Buffalo Bills in 2016, and as an advisor for the Miami Hurricanes in 2020.