We heard a couple months ago that Ed Reed was still hoping to play in the NFL in 2014, but the chances of that happening look slimmer today, after Showtime and CBS announced that the former Ravens safety will join Inside the NFL for the coming season. Bears wideout Brandon Marshall is also a new addition to the show, so Reed’s inclusion doesn’t necessarily rule out his return to the field, but CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus referred in a statement to “Ed just coming off the playing field and Brandon still on it.”
As Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun tweets, Reed said today that he may “never” officially announce his retirement, so while we shouldn’t close the book on his career quite yet, it’s possible we’ve seen the veteran take the field for the last time.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- Wideout Eric Decker spoke to Brian Costello of the New York Post about how some offseason online research on Geno Smith helped convince him to sign with the Jets. “I was impressed by the games I watched of Geno, and then I Googled and YouTubed interviews to get a feel of who he was as a person more than just the physical skill on the field,” Decker said. “That’s a big thing.”
- As the Browns await final word on Josh Gordon’s suspension, they’ve been proactive about lining up a support system and possible treatment for the wideout if he has to spend a significant amount of time away from the team, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
- According to Mark Maske of the Washington Post, the NFL is mulling harsher penalties for domestic abuse incidents, including potential season-long suspensions for repeat offenders. The move, which remains under consideration, is undoubtedly related to Ray Rice‘s modest two-game ban for a domestic abuse incident, and all the negative publicity that decision garnered.
- Two months after announcing his retirement from the NFL, Vince Young has accepted a job at his alma mater, with the University of Texas announcing today that the former quarterback will serve as a development officer for program alumni relations.