Willie Reid
Encyclopedia
Willie Louis Reid is an American football
wide receiver
who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers
in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Florida State
.
Reid has also been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles
and Dallas Cowboys
.
and was a 4 year letterman in football
and basketball
. In football, as a junior, he was voted the Georgia
Offensive Player of the Year, and was named to the All-Southern team by the Orlando Sentinel
. After touchdowns he often raised his hand and pointed toward the sky saying "this is for you Jonathan Eason".
, having returned one 87 yards (an Orange Bowl record) for a touchdown against Penn State
in the 2006 Orange Bowl; he was named the game's MVP after amassing 235 all-purpose yards (180 yards in punt returns; 55 yards in receptions). He was a social science major.
in the 2006 NFL Draft
in the third round with the 95th overall pick. He was placed on injured reserve
due to a foot injury. Upon entering the 2007 NFL season
, it was projected that he would be the starting
punt returner for the Steelers. However, he failed to impress new coach Mike Tomlin
and the Steelers traded a draft pick for veteran returner Allen Rossum
. Reid was released by the Steelers on August 30, 2008.
. He was placed on injured reserve midway though the season.
on June 15, 2009. He was cut during final cuts on September 5, 2009.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
Reid has also been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
.
Early life
Reid attended Warner Robins High SchoolWarner Robins High School
Warner Robins High School is a high school in Warner Robins, Georgia. It is located at 401 South Davis Drive.-Campus:In 2005, the nearby Bert Rumble Middle School was merged with WRHS as Rumble Academy, with most of its former faculty and students moved to the nearby Huntington Middle School...
and was a 4 year letterman in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. In football, as a junior, he was voted the Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
Offensive Player of the Year, and was named to the All-Southern team by the Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
. After touchdowns he often raised his hand and pointed toward the sky saying "this is for you Jonathan Eason".
College career
He attended Florida State University where he was a good wide receiver and was an excellent punt returnerPunt returner
Punt returner is a position on special teams in American football.-Description:The role of a punt returner is to catch the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position by returning it. Before catching the punted ball, the returner must assess the situation on the field while...
, having returned one 87 yards (an Orange Bowl record) for a touchdown against Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
in the 2006 Orange Bowl; he was named the game's MVP after amassing 235 all-purpose yards (180 yards in punt returns; 55 yards in receptions). He was a social science major.
Pittsburgh Steelers
He was taken by the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
in the third round with the 95th overall pick. He was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
due to a foot injury. Upon entering the 2007 NFL season
2007 NFL season
The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
, it was projected that he would be the starting
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
punt returner for the Steelers. However, he failed to impress new coach Mike Tomlin
Mike Tomlin
Michael Tomlin is the current head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. Tomlin is the third youngest head coach in any of the four major North American professional sports. He is the tenth African-American head coach in NFL history, and first in Steelers history...
and the Steelers traded a draft pick for veteran returner Allen Rossum
Allen Rossum
Allen Bonshaca Lamont Rossum is an American football cornerback and return specialist who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
. Reid was released by the Steelers on August 30, 2008.
Philadelphia Eagles
On September 1, 2008, Reid was signed to the practice squad of the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was placed on injured reserve midway though the season.
Dallas Cowboys
Reid signed with the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
on June 15, 2009. He was cut during final cuts on September 5, 2009.