Ed Reed Talks Miami’s Brotherhood, Canes Title Hopes, and Lamar Jackson

Twenty-five years after winning a national championship with Miami, Ed Reed was back alongside his brothers – and hoping the next generation of Hurricanes can give them another title to celebrate.

Hard Rock Bet caught up with the Canes legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer at an exclusive golf event celebrating the 25th anniversary of Miami’s 2001 college football national championship. Reed reflected on the teammates and coaches who shaped him, the accountability behind that championship team, and why the reunion was about more than football.

He also shared his thoughts on Miami’s title hopes, Lamar Jackson’s health, Jesse Minter’s start in Baltimore, and John Harbaugh’s move to the Giants – plus a memorable introduction to the Miami heat that still has him reaching for Pedialyte.

What is it about The U brotherhood?

We truly lived with each other. We pushed each other. We looked after each other. We were security for each other. To get where we’re at right now in life, you have to have great people around you. And for our brothers and coaching staff that helped us grow, that’s the reason that we’re the men that we are right now.

This current Miami Hurricanes team looks really good. Do you think this is the year they break through?

I believe that every year, you know. Definitely. Definitely for these young men this year, one game at a time. You know, go out and do your thing. You got to go out and take it, but it’s one game at a time.

Your Baltimore Ravens… what do you think of Jesse Minter’s start as head coach?

I like it. I like what I see. You know, it’s a growing process. So you can’t over-criticique it so much to the point where you can’t let the process happen, but we also want to see some stuff right now. But I definitely root for Jesse. I met with him, and I want him to win. Obviously he’s the captain of the ship right now, so you want him to win, but just watch him.

Do you think Lamar Jackson needs to alter his playing style to stay healthy?

I don’t think he has to alter his play as much. Just like any other player, you’ve got to be smart. You know what I mean? Quarterbacks don’t like injuries. Taking hits as a quarterback is tough. I don’t recommend hits for a quarterback unless I’m on defense, you know what I mean, playing against him.

But I think Lamar is a consummate professional and knows what to do. I missed games. Everybody misses games. Football is a violent sport, so it comes with it. As much as everybody wants you to play all the time, you can’t. You know, there’s games where I was trying to play and I couldn’t. And that’s the hardest thing to do, is to hold yourself out of games. I know Lamar wants to play. You can tell, you know, just by the excitement that he has when he’s congratulating guys off the field.

Your old coach, John Harbaugh, what do you think about his start with the New York Giants?

I’m excited for Coach. I knew that was a good move. I feel like he went to a great space. So I’m rooting for him. I congratulated him on his first win, and just watching him, I know what type of system Coach runs, the program and how he is as a coach. I knew those guys would do decent.

Who was tour biggest nemesis on Greentree?

Myself. Myself. Our hardest competition at the time was just being disciplined and focused. Our coaching staff did a lot to make sure that we came together as young men, you know what I mean? But it was clearly our responsibility, our job to be who we were supposed to be. You know what I mean?

So outside of my brothers, Reggie (Wayne) and, you know, everybody else, being accountable to – but Reggie, being my roommate, being accountable to him, because I knew what we stood for coming out of that dorm room. You know what I mean? So we had a standard, man. You know, so I was accountable to him. But at the end of the day, our biggest opponent is right there in the mirror.

Coming from Destrehan, Louisiana, what was your first ‘Welcome to college football’ moment?

My welcome to college football moment? I cramped up from my feet to my neck. Every muscle. Every muscle, when I got here to Miami. I cramped up, man. They had to put me in a wheelbarrow or something, like a cart, and wheel me into the locker room, dude. I was like, “cut me!”. All kinds of stuff I was saying, man. I was speaking all types of different languages. I’ve never had anything like that happen to me in my life. I was like, oh my God – what is going on? Miami heat was definitely different, bro. You know what I mean? That changed my life. I’ve been drinking Pedialyte ever since then. I’ve been marketing for Pedialyte for a long time – I’ve been drinking that since college.

How much fun are you having here on the golf course?

A lot of fun. A lot of fun. Great support. You know, I’m just ecstatic by the support, which I knew it was that, with the Canes. Being around my brothers too, you know, coming together after 25 years. Hate that it’s been 25 years since we won one, but I’m glad it’s us. You know what I mean? It’s for a great cause, and we’re out here having a good time. We want to grow this thing, do more, because this is about building up the community at the end of the day.