Ed Reed made quite the splash when it was announced that he would be taking over head coaching duties at famed HBCU, Bethine-Cookman University. However, the 44-year-old Hall of Famer is out as coach after the university discovered a video that painted the institution as unfavorable.
Ed Reed and his hire by Bethune-Cookman was celebrated widely and looked to signal a potential rise of relevancy in the college football ranks as it relates to HBCUs. As it stands, Reed and the university entered into preliminary talks to sign a contract and it all looked to be in the books but there seemed to be some issues within the athletic department and beyond.
Similarly to Deion Sanders, Reed’s legendary stature as it relates to his prowess on the football field was assumed to transform the fortunes of student-athletes at the school just as Sanders did in his tenure at Jackson State University. However, Reed was critical of the school’s conditions and didn’t mince words in a video rant he since apologized for. However, Reed’s passion upset those in the hiring position and they decided to sidestep the hire which sparked protests at the school.
In his own words, Reed says that he did not withdraw his name from consideration and instead Bethune-Cookman officials made the decision. In a posted video ripe with emotion, which we’ll share below, Reed blasted the school for their decision and hammered down on the point that he wanted to be there in service of the students. In that same video, Reed goes on to say that “Deion was right,” no doubt referencing Sanders’ time at Jackson State and some of the hurdles he faced in transforming its football program.
As noted in the referenced video, Ed Reed apparently ruffled feathers to the point that it was no longer amenable for both sides to move forward.
The video can be viewed below.
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Photo: Icon Sportswire / Getty
