Jan 20, 2013; Foxboro, MA, USA; Baltimore Ravens free safety Ed Reed (20) walks out to the field for pregame warmups before the start of the AFC championship game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports
The Baltimore Ravens have been riding a wave of emotion through these playoffs. It all started when NFL veteran and Ravens’ team leader Ray Lewis announced that this would be his “last ride.” They’ve been underdogs almost every step of the way and have beat what arguably two of the best NFL quarterbacks ever in the process, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. They won on the road nonetheless. And maybe in time we’ll find out that they beat another quarterback who’ll some day join their ranks in Andrew Luck, when they hosted the Indianapolis Colts in Lewis’ final home game of his career.
The reward has been the Ravens first trip to the Superbowl since the year 2000 and for NFL veteran Ed Reed, it’s his first trip. Ed Reed joined the Ravens and became a focal point of their defense aside Ray Lewis in 2002, his rookie season. But unlike Lewis, Reed isn’t ready to wind his career down.
“I’ll be playing next year. Next question,” Reed said.
The draw of going out on top is something out of a fairytale, John Elway retired having won the Super Bowl for the second time. Maybe, Reed thinks the Ravens can do it again, or he can choose to join a team that has a shot since he is a free agent after this season, for example New England.
The Ravens could use the franchise tag to keep Reed, but their quarterback Joe Flacco is driving his price up this off season and he too will be a free agent this offseason.
It makes you wonder though, if he threw his name in the hat with Lewis and the “last ride” emotional momentum train, if that’d help secure his teams’ victory. The let’s not win it just for Lewis anymore, as players have seemingly gotten tired of, but now Reed as well.
But even if he plays in the NFL it could still be his “last ride” as a Raven.
If the Ravens win the Super Bowl, do you think Ed Reed will come back? And if so with who? Let us know below!