Ed Reed Thank You Ad: 'I'll Always Be Baltimore,' NFLer Tells Ravens Fans
Former Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed has gone through unusual extremes to share his gratitude, posting an ad in the local paper to say "see you soon" to Ravens fans before departing to his new Texas team.
Ed Reed signed a 3-year, $15 million contract with the Houston Texans on Friday. But before departing to the Lone Star state, the former Ravens player made one last gesture to his Baltimore fans.
Reed was drafted to the Ravens during the first round in 2002- the same year the team won its first Lombardi Trophy- and Reed has been a fixture on the team ever since. After more than 10 years, the player said goodbye to Ravens fans on Sunday in an ad he purchased in The Baltimore Sun.
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"Ravens Nation, My eleven seasons in Baltimore were more than I would have ever imagined, which is why I have such deep love for you all. I will forever cherish my time with the Ravens and the chills that ran down my spine when I finally kissed the Lombardi Trophy," the player wrote to fans in the ad.
"I'm going to miss being a part of this tremendous team and organization, but I'll always be Baltimore and my Foundation will remain in this community, this is not a goodbye, but a See You Soon," he wrote. "Thank you for everything Baltimore, God Bless you."
Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome also suggested that losing Reed would be difficult because he was such a good player.
"How fortunate we were to have Ed with us for 11 seasons," he told ESPN. "He is one of the Ravens' and NFL's all-time greats. Words cannot measure what he did for us, including helping us win a second Super Bowl. We thank him for all he did for Baltimore. Ed will always be a part of the Ravens family."
The Texans contacted Reed on his first day of free agency. He claims his decision to move was made early on.
"I think we both knew, just from the conversation, how things were going and how this would work," Reed told ESPN on Friday after signing with the new team. "It just was a matter of time with getting it done."
