Grambling State Initially Offered Head Coach Job To Ed Reed

According to Jason La Canfora, Grambling State initially offered their head coaching job to NFL Hall of Famer Ed Reed. 

However, Reed, who is currently the chief of staff at his alma mater, Miami, turned down the job as the timing wasn’t quite right.

It was a tempting offer, per La Canfora, but Reed was navigating a complete regime change at Miami as well as other family commitments. 

Grambling State ended up hiring former NFL coach Hue Jackson for the job. La Canfora says they initially wanted to try and replicate the success Jackson State, another HBCU, had by hiring NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.

However, La Canfora says not to rule Reed out from becoming a head coach at some level in the future, as it’s something he’s expressed a lot of interest in doing in the past. 

Reed, 43, was a first-round pick of the Ravens back in 2002. He spent the first 11 years of his career in Baltimore before he was signed on with the Texans as an unrestricted free agent in 2013.

The Jets signed him to a contract after he was placed on waivers, but he wound up sitting out the entire 2014 season. He officially retired in 2015 and was voted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. 

Over the course of 12 years, Reed recorded 531 tackles, six sacks, 11 forced fumbles, 13 recoveries, 64 interceptions and scored nine defensive touchdowns. He was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection as well as a five-time first-team All-Pro.

Reed was an assistant coach with the Bills in 2016. He joined the University of Miami as the chief of staff in 2020 in an advisory role to the head coach.