THURSDAY, 1:09pm: Reed officially signed a one-day contract with the Ravens today, retiring as a member of the team (Twitter link).
WEDNESDAY, 7:07pm: After a 12-year career, Ravens safety Ed Reed has decided to walk away from the game, as Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com writes. The Ravens and Reed will hold a press conference tomorrow morning to formally announce the news.
Reed, of course, has not played in the NFL since 2013. The veteran signed on with the Texans for that season after playing his first eleven years in Baltimore but he didn’t look like the No. 20 of old. After losing his starting job in Houston, he was released in November, and signed by the Jets. He finished the season with 38 tackles and four interceptions, grading as the league’s 30th-best safety per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Despite how things turned out for him that year, Reed made it known that he was still hoping to play in 2014. That opportunity, however, never materialized.
Over the course of his career, Reed earned a whopping nine Pro Bowl selections and eight All-Pro nods. After the 2012 season, Reed finally got to host the Lombardi Trophy after helping the Ravens win the Super Bowl.
Last year, Reed, referenced Barry Sanders in saying that he could choose to abruptly retire without any fanfare. The safety didn’t go the Derek Jeter route towards retirement, but it sounds like he is allowing himself a proper sendoff.