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Congratulations are in order for Ed Reed and Bethune-Cookman University!
The university announced Tuesday that Reed, a Super Bowl champion and 9-time Pro Bowler with the Baltimore Ravens, has consented to take the position of head football coach at the historically Black university.
“We are excited to hear that Ed has been named the head football coach at Bethune-Cookman,” Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich said. “Ed is one of the best to ever wear a Miami Hurricanes uniform and he has served as a great mentor to our student-athletes the past three years. He will do a tremendous job leading the Wildcats program and the entire Miami family wishes him all the best.”
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The FCS institution’s hiring of Reed follows the example established by Jackson State’s hiring of Deion Sanders.
With the signing of top 2021 recruit Travis Hunter, Jackson State’s profile substantially increased, and it became a force in the recruiting process. This success translated to performance on the field.
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Reed will have a huge rebuilding project on his hands at fellow SWAC member Bethune-Cookman, just like Sanders did at Jackson State.
The Wildcats had a 2-9 record in 2022, with their two victories coming over five-win teams Grambling State and Mississippi Valley State. In a matchup that was planned in part to boost the Wildcats’ sports budget, Sanders’ Jackson State team defeated Bethune-Cookman 48-8, and Miami won easily 70-13 to start its season.
44-year-old Reed was selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in 2019. All but one of his twelve NFL seasons were played with the Baltimore Ravens during his stellar professional career.
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During his time with the Ravens, Reed rose to become the top safety in the league and changed the perception of what a ball-hawking safety looked like in contemporary football. With 64 picks in 174 career games, he three times led the league in interceptions. Seven of those interceptions were also recovered for touchdowns by Reed, including many pick-sixes of more than 100 yards.
In 2016, Reed began his coaching career with the Buffalo Bills as their defensive backs coach. In 2020, former Miami coach Manny Diaz hired him as an advisor. After the school hired Mario Cristobal prior to the 2022 season, he continued in that position as chief of staff.
Please join us as we congratulate Ed Reed and Bethune-Cookman on this huge accomplishment!
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