Wednesday, October 28, 2026

The Story And Significance Of Steve Atwater - Eight Pro Bowls In Eleven Seasons At Safety

Stephen Dennis Atwater is an American former professional football player who was a safety for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time Super Bowl champion. Atwater was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on February 1, 2020.

Atwater and Dennis Smith made up a Broncos secondary that was known for their ferocious hits on opposing players.

On January 15, 1989, Atwater appeared in the East-West Shrine Game and made two interceptions for the West as they were defeated 24—6 by the East. He was named the Defensive Player of the Game and substantially raised his draft stock following his performance. He was considered to be one of the top two safety prospects available in the 1989 NFL Draft, along with Florida's Louis Oliver. Atwater was considered slow after running a 4.63s 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, compared to Louis Oliver who ran a 4.37s 40-yard dash. At Arkansas' Pro Day, Atwater improved his 40-yard dash time to 4.50. During the pre-draft process, he had pre-draft visits with multiple teams including the Broncos.

The Denver Broncos selected Atwater in the first round (20th overall) of the 1989 NFL draft. Atwater was the first safety drafted in 1989. Head coach Dan Reeves was conflicted on which safety to draft after Louis Oliver was unexpectedly still undrafted at 20th overall. Head coach Dan Reeves consulted with defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and defensive backs coach Charlie Waters and it was decided they would draft Atwater due to his leadership and instincts.

Due to failed contract negotiations, Atwater staged a contract holdout which subsequently caused him to refuse to attend the first two weeks of training camp. On August 1, 1989, the Denver Broncos signed Atwater to a four—year, $2 million rookie contract that included an initial signing bonus of $750,000.

Upon his arrival at training camp, Atwater was slated to take over a starting role at safety following the departure of Mike Harden. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips employed him to line up close to the line of scrimmage and as a strong safety in the box to fortify the Broncos' dismal run defense from the previous season. Head coach Dan Reeves named Atwater and Dennis Smith the starting safeties to begin the regular season. With both standing at 6'3", the Broncos employed possibly the tallest safety tandem of all-time.

On September 10, 1989, Atwater earned his first career start and made his professional regular season debut in the Broncos' home-opener against the Kansas City Chiefs as they won 34—20. On September 24, 1989, Atwater set a season-high with two interceptions and had his first career interception on a pass Jay Schroeder attempted to throw to wide receiver Willie Gault and returned it for a 30—yard gain in the second quarter as the Broncos defeated the Los Angeles Raiders 31—21. In Week 5, he set a season-high with 12 combined tackles during a 10—16 win against the San Diego Chargers. He started all 16 games during his rookie campaign and made 129 combined tackles (86 solo) and three interceptions.

The Denver Broncos' retained Atwater and Dennis Smith as the starting safeties to begin the regular season in 1990. On September 17, 1990, Atwater had a career highlight in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs that was nationally televised on Monday Night Football. As the Kansas City Chiefs' 260 lbs. running back Christian Okoye came through a hole in the line of scrimmage, he was met by Atwater early in the first quarter. The resulting collision stopped Okoye in his tracks and resulted in no gain, with Atwater standing over him, taunting the proclaimed "Nigerian Nightmare", while he lay on the ground stunned. The hit instantly became the most prominent play of their careers. His coach Mike Shanahan stated "That's the hit people will remember him for.". The Broncos went on to defeat the Chiefs 24—23. The following game, Atwater was sidelined as the Broncos defeated the Seattle Seahawks in overtime 31—34 due to an injury classified as a rib strain. In Week 6, he set a season-high with 18 combined tackles during a 17—34 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. On November 18, 1990, Atwater sacked Jim Harbaugh for a five—yard loss, marking the first sack of his career during a 16—13 loss to the Chicago Bears. He finished the season with a career-high 173 combined tackles (112 solo), made two pass deflections, and one sack in 15 games and 15 starts. His breakout season earned him a selection to the 1991 Pro Bowl, alongside Dennis Smith. This marked the first Pro Bowl selection of his career, although he was unable to participate due to injury.

On September 15, 1991, Atwater made ten combined tackles, a fumble recovery, and intercepted Jeff Kemp's pass to wide receiver Paul Skansi as the Broncos defeated the Seattle Seahawks 10—16. In Week 16, he set a season-high with 14 combined tackles and sacked Chris Chandler for a five—yard loss, marking his lone sack of the season as the Broncos defeated the Phoenix Cardinals 24—19. He started in all 16 games throughout the 1991 NFL season and finished with 150 combined tackles (83 solo), 11 pass deflections, five interceptions, and one sack. He finished with the second most tackles on the team for the second season in-a-row, behind linebacker Michael Brooks with 153 combined tackles. His performance in 1991 earned him a selection to the 1992 Pro Bowl.

On July 7, 1992, the Denver Broncos re-signed Atwater to a two—year, $3.50 million contract that included an initial signing bonus of $350,000. Head coach Mike Shanahan retained Atwater and Dennis Smith as the starting safety duo to begin the regular season. Atwater would be inactive as the Broncos defeated the Los Angeles Raiders in their home-opener due to an ankle sprain.

In Week 2, he set a season-high with 17 combined tackles (10 solo) during a 21—13 victory against the San Diego Chargers. On September 27, 1992, Atwater recorded five solo tackles, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and had his first interception of the season on a pass attempt by Mike Tomczak during a 12—0 win at the Cleveland Browns. In Week 15, he made seven combined tackles (six solo), a pass deflection, a fumble recovery, and intercepted a pass by Jim Kelly during a 17—27 loss at the Buffalo Bills. He finished the 1992 NFL season with 151 combined tackles (73 solo), 12 pass deflections, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one sack in 15 games and 15 starts. On December 28, 1992, the Broncos announced their decision to fire head coach Dan Reeves after they finished with an 8—8 record.

On January 26, 1993, the Denver Broncos announced their decision to hire defensive coordinator Wade Phillips to be their new head coach. Defensive coordinator Charlie Waters retained Atwater and Dennis Smith as the starting safeties to begin the season. On September 5, 1993, Atwater started in the Broncos' season-opener at the New York Jets and recorded eight combined tackles (six solo) and set a season-high with three pass deflections in their 26—20 victory. In Week 14, Atwater set a season-high with 14 combined tackles (nine solo) and had one pass break-up during a 10—13 loss at the San Diego Chargers. He started all 16 games throughout the 1993 NFL season and led the Broncos with 141 combined tackles (80 solo). He also made 12 pass deflections, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, and one sack. He was voted to the 1994 Pro Bowl, marking his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl selection.

Head coach Wade Phillips retained Atwater as the starting strong safety to begin the regular season. He started alongside Darryl Hall and Rondell Jones for the first three games while Dennis Smith sat out as a contract holdout. In Week 3, Atwater set a season-high with 14 combined tackles (11 solo) and had a forced fumble as the Broncos were routed 16—48 by the Los Angeles Raiders. On October 9, 1994, Atwater made six combined tackles (two solo), a pass break-up, recovered a fumble, and had his lone interception of the season after picking off Rick Mirer during a 16—9 victory at the Seattle Seahawks. He was inactive for two games (Weeks 15—16) after injuring his hamstring. He finished the season with 125 combined tackles (72 solo), eight pass deflections, one interception, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble in 14 games and 14 starts. On December 30, 1994, the Denver Broncos fired head coach Wade Phillips after they finished the 1994 NFL season with a 7—9 record.

On February 1, 1995, the Denver Broncos announced the hiring Mike Shanahan as their new head coach after previously holding the position of offensive coordinator. On May 12, 1995, the Denver Broncos re-signed Atwater to a five—year, $12.50 million contract extension that included a signing bonus of $3.30 million. Defensive coordinator Greg Robinson retained Atwater as the starting strong safety and paired him with starting free safety Tyrone Braxton.

In Week 11, Atwater set a season-high 11 combined tackles (10 solo) during a 13—31 loss at the Philadelphia Eagles. On December 10, 1995, Atwater recorded three combined tackles (one solo), tied his season-high of three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass John Friesz threw to wide receiver Brian Blades during a 31—27 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He started all 16 games in 1995 and finished the season with 103 combined tackles (82 solo), 13 pass deflections, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles.

Head coach Mike Shanahan retained the duo of Atwater and Tyrone Braxton as the starting safeties in 1996. In Week 13, he set a season-high 12 combined tackles (10 solo) during a 21—17 victory at the Minnesota Vikings. In Week 16, Atwater recorded four solo tackles, tied his season-high of two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Jeff Hostetler as the Broncos defeated the Oakland Raiders 24—19. He started in all 16 games throughout the 1996 NFL season and finished with 81 combined tackles (64 solo), 11 pass deflections, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles. He was voted to the 1997 Pro Bowl, marking the seventh consecutive Pro Bowl selection of his career.

The combination of Atwater and Tyrone Braxton returned as the starting safeties for the third consecutive season. He was sidelined for the Broncos' 38—20 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4 due to a shoulder injury. On November 30, 1997, Atwater recorded four combined tackles (three solo), set a season-high with three pass deflections, and scored the first and only touchdown of his career during a 38—28 win at the San Diego Chargers. His scored on a pick-six in the second quarter after intercepting Craig Whelihan's pass to tight end Freddie Jones and returning it for a 22—yard touchdown. In Week 15, he set a season-high with eight combined tackles (six solo) during a 24—35 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers. He ended the season with a total of 68 combined tackles (53 solo), seven pass deflections, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, one sack, and one touchdown in 15 games and 15 starts.

The Denver Broncos finished the 1997 NFL season second in the NFC West with a 12—4 record, clinching playoff berth. The Broncos defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 42—17 in the AFC Wild-Card Game and the Kansas City Chiefs 14—10 in the Divisional Round. They defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 24—21 in the AFC Championship Game to advance to the Super Bowl. On January 25, 1998, Atwater started in Super Bowl XXXII and had one of the greatest defensive performances in a Super Bowl, recording six solo tackles, one pass deflection, one sack, and a forced fumble in their 31—24 victory against the Green Bay Packers.

Head coach Mike Shanahan retained Atwater as the starting free safety to begin the season and paired him with rookie second round pick Eric Brown for the majority of the season. On December 21, 1998, Atwater set a season-high with eight combined tackles (five solo), made one pass deflection, and had his lone interception of the season on a pass Dan Marino attempted to throw to wide receiver O. J. McDuffie during a 21—31 loss at the Miami Dolphins. He started in all 16 games and finished the season with 55 combined tackles (43 solo), five pass deflections, and one interception. He was unexpectedly voted to the 1999 Pro Bowl. It was speculated his Pro Bowl selection was due to his performance in Super Bowl XXXII. His eight Pro Bowl selections ranks as the second most in franchise history.

The Denver Broncos finished the 1998 NFL season atop the AFC West with a 14—2 record to clinch a playoff berth and first round bye. The Broncos routed the Miami Dolphins 34—19 in the Divisional Round. On January 17, 1999, Atwater made four combined tackles (two solo), one pass deflection, and forced a fumble during a 23—10 victory against the New York Jets in the AFC Championship Game. On January 31, 1999, Atwater started in Super Bowl XXXIII and recorded seven combined tackles (six solo) and made one pass deflection as the Broncos defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34—19.

On March 1, 1999, the Denver Broncos released Atwater with one—year remaining on his contract due to salary cap concerns, saving $3.30 million.

Denver's defense jumped 20 spots to finish 7th against the run and tied for 3rd best in yards per carry with a 3.7-yard average. That same year, Atwater finished 2nd to the Kansas City Chiefs' Derrick Thomas in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. The additions of rookies Atwater and Bobby Humphrey, along with key free agent signings, helped Denver rebound from 8–8 in 1988 to AFC Super Bowl representative in 1989.

On March 2, 1999, the New York Jets signed Atwater three—year, $8.25 million contract as an unrestricted free agent that included a signing bonus of $1.80 million. He entered training camp slated as the starting free safety under defensive coordinator Bill Belichick. Head coach Bill Parcells named Atwater and Victor Green the starting safeties to begin the regular season.

Atwater played for the New York Jets for one season and became a free agent. He called Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, asking him if he could retire as a Bronco. He signed a one-day ceremonial contract with the Broncos before announcing his retirement from football. He thanked several of his coaches, stating "I bleed orange and will always bleed orange and blue." At the time of his retirement, he played in 155 consecutive games with the Broncos. Bowlen called Atwater one of the Broncos' "greatest players".

Atwater was inducted to the Broncos' Ring of Fame Archived November 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine in 2005. In 2017, Atwater was hired as both an insider for the Broncos' website as well as fan development manager.

Atwater was among 27 modern-era semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2012. He was one of four previously eligible candidates that made it to the semifinals for the first time. Atwater also made the finalist list for the 2016 and 2020 classes.

After 16 years, Atwater was selected to the 2020 Hall of Fame class on February 1, 2020.

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Wednesday, October 21, 2026

The Story And Significance Of Johnny Robinson - First Team All-Pro Five Straight Years At Safety

Johnny Nolan Robinson is an American former professional football player. He was primarily a safety, but also played on offense as a halfback and flanker early in his career. He played college football for the LSU Tigers.

Robinson played his entire 12-year professional career with the Dallas Texans / Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League (AFL) and later the National Football League (NFL). He led the AFL in interceptions with 10 in 1966, and led the NFL in 1970 with 10. He had 57 interceptions during his career. Robinson is a 2019 inductee to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, becoming the ninth member of the Chiefs' Super Bowl IV championship team to be inducted.

In 1960, Robinson was selected by the Dallas Texans (who later became the Kansas City Chiefs) in the first round of the 1960 AFL draft, and selected third overall by the Detroit Lions in the 1960 NFL draft. He chose the Texans. In his third season, the Texans won the 1962 AFL title with a 20–17 double-overtime victory over the two-time defending AFL champion Houston Oilers in the longest professional football league championship game ever played. Robinson had two interceptions. The dramatic game was watched by millions on television, and played an important part in creating the grounds for an AFL-NFL merger.

Robinson played in the first Super Bowl in early 1967, a loss to the Green Bay Packers in which Robinson had 9 tackles. Three years later in Super Bowl IV, the underdog Chiefs decisively defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 23–7. Robinson played that game with three broken ribs he received in the previous game, and took novocaine injections to dull the pain for the Super Bowl. Late in the first half, he picked up a Minnesota fumble, and made an interception in the second half to help seal the win.

During his first two years in the AFL, Robinson played flanker on offense, rushing for 658 yards on 150 carries and had 1,228 receiving yards on 77 receptions, and fifteen touchdowns. Texans coach Hank Stram moved Robinson to safety after his second year, and he continued as a standout for ten of his twelve years.

His last game came on Christmas Day 1971, when the Chiefs lost to the Miami Dolphins 24–27 after 22 minutes and forty seconds of overtime. Robinson suffered a career-ending injury that game, which remains the longest game in NFL history, as of 2024, and the last NFL game in Municipal Stadium. Robinson thus played in the sport's longest championship game in 1962, and in its absolute longest game, each game closing out professional football in its respective stadium.

After twelve seasons with the same franchise, Robinson retired at age 33 in July 1972, prior to training camp.

Robinson was a five-time first-team All-AFL selection (1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969), one-time first-team NFL All-Pro selection (1970), and one-time second-team All-AFL selection (1963). The Sporting News named him first-team All-AFC in 1971. He is a member of the All-time All-AFL Team and one of only 20 players who were in the AFL for its entire ten-year existence. He is one of only three players (with Hall of Famers Jim Otto and Ron Mix) who were on the All-AFL first-team and the combined AFL/NFL All-Decade Team for the 1960s.

The Chiefs had a 35–1–1 record in games where Robinson made an interception. He is an inductee of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, and was elected into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in February 2019, the ninth member inducted from the 1969 Chiefs. His bust at Canton was sculpted by Scott Myers. Later that year, he was recognized as an SEC Football Legend for LSU. He is also a member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

After he retired as a player, Robinson was a scout for the Chiefs until Hank Stram was fired in 1974. He then coached defensive backs for the Jacksonville Express of the World Football League in 1975. The league folded that year, and he became a scout for the New Orleans Saints, again under Stram.

Robinson became an ordained minister in 1979. He founded and operates a youth home called Johnny Robinson's Boys Home for troubled boys in Monroe, Louisiana, and has been a long-time supporter of children's causes.

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Wednesday, October 14, 2026

The Story And Significance Of Ed Reed - Most Interceptions In The 21st Century

Edward Earl Reed Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League, spending the majority of his career with the Baltimore Ravens. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, where he played on Miami's 2001 national championship team and was named a unanimous All-American. He was selected by the Ravens in the first round of the 2002 NFL draft and played 11 seasons with them before playing with the Houston Texans and New York Jets in 2013.

During his playing career, Reed was selected to nine total Pro Bowls, was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2004, won Super Bowl XLVII, and has an NFL record for the two longest interception returns (106 yards in 2004 and 107 yards in 2008). He also holds the all-time NFL record for interception return yards, with 1,590, and postseason interceptions (9, tied with three other players). His 64 regular season interceptions ranked him 6th on the NFL's all-time leader list at the time of his retirement. Due to his accolades, Reed is considered to be one of the greatest safeties in NFL history, and was often referred to as a "ball hawk" during his prime. Reed was known for studying film to memorize opposing teams' tendencies, as well as his ability to lure quarterbacks into throwing interceptions. Reed was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.

In 2016, Reed worked as an assistant defensive backs coach for the Buffalo Bills. In 2020, he was hired by the University of Miami, his alma mater, to serve as their football team's chief of staff, an advisory role to head coach Manny Diaz.

The Baltimore Ravens selected Reed in the first round (24th overall) of the 2002 NFL draft. Reed was the second safety drafted, after Oklahoma's Roy Williams was selected eighth overall by the Dallas Cowboys.

On August 3, 2002, the Baltimore Ravens signed Reed to a five-year, $6.18 million contract.

Reed entered training camp slated as the starting free safety after the role was left vacant due to the departures of Rod Woodson and Corey Harris. Head coach Brian Billick named Reed the starting free safety to begin the regular season, alongside strong safety and fellow rookie Will Demps.

He made his professional regular season debut and first career start in the Baltimore Ravens' season-opener at the Carolina Panthers and recorded three solo tackles in their 10–7 loss. On September 30, 2002, Reed recorded four solo tackles, a pass deflection, blocked a kick, and made his first career interception during a 34–28 win against the Denver Broncos in Week 4. Reed made his first career interception off a pass attempt by Broncos' quarterback Brian Griese and blocked a punt by Tom Rouen in the second quarter to set up a 13-yard drive for a touchdown. The following week, he made three solo tackles, a season-high four pass deflections, and intercepted a pass off of Browns' quarterback Tim Couch during a 26–21 win at the Cleveland Browns in Week 5. In Week 6, Reed recorded three solo tackles and made his first career sack on quarterback Peyton Manning during the Ravens' 22–20 loss at the Indianapolis Colts. The following week, he collected a season-high seven solo tackles as the Ravens defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 17–10. On November 10, 2002, Reed recorded five solo tackles, two pass deflections, and made a season-high two interceptions off passes by Bengals' quarterback Jon Kitna in the Ravens' 38–27 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10. Reed made his first interception of the game in the second quarter and was returning it for a touchdown when Bengals' wide receiver T. J. Houshmandzadeh forced him to fumble the ball by hitting his arm as Reed was extending the ball in celebration. His fumble bounced into the endzone and was eventually recovered by Bengals' wide receiver Peter Warrick for a touchback. He started in all 16 games as a rookie in 2002 and made a career-high 85 combined tackles (71 solo), 12 pass deflections, five interceptions and one sack. The following week against the Tennessee Titans, Reed blocked a first quarter punt by Craig Hentrich and returned it 11 yards for his first career touchdown. The Ravens won the game 13–12. He was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team.

Reed and Will Demps were retained as the starting safeties during the 2003 season. Reed started in the Baltimore Ravens' season-opener at the Pittsburgh Steelers and collected a season-high ten combined tackles (seven solo) and a pass deflection in their 34–15 loss. The following week, he collected three solo tackles, a season-high three pass deflections, a season-high two interceptions, and scored his second career touchdown during a 33–13 victory against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2. He intercepted a pass by Kelly Holcomb in the second quarter and returned it for a 54-yard touchdown. On October 12, 2003, he recorded six combined tackles, deflected a pass, made an interception, and blocked a punt before returning it for a touchdown during a 26–18 victory at the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6. Reed blocked a punt by Scott Player, recovered it, and then returned it for a 22-yard touchdown in the second quarter. In Week 12, he made seven combined tackles and returned a blocked punt by Tom Rouen for a 16-yard touchdown during a 44–41 win against the Seattle Seahawks. He was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 6. Reed was selected to the 2004 Pro Bowl, marking the first Pro Bowl selection of his career. He started in all 16 games in 2003 and recorded 71 combined tackles (59 solo), 16 pass deflections, seven interceptions, three touchdowns, and a sack.

The Baltimore Ravens finished first in the AFC North with a 10–6 record and earned a playoff berth. On January 3, 2004, Reed started in his first career playoff game and finished the Ravens' 20–17 loss to the Tennessee Titans in the Wild Card Round with one pass deflection and an interception.

Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan retained Reed and Will Demps as the starting safeties in 2004. On September 26, 2004, Reed recorded three combined tackles, a season-high three pass deflections, and intercepted two passes by Bengals' quarterback Carson Palmer during a 23–9 win at the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3. In Week 9, Reed recorded three combined tackles, deflected a pass, and returned an interception by quarterback Jeff Garcia for a 106-yard touchdown as the Ravens defeated the Cleveland Browns 27–13. In Week 12, he collected a season-high nine combined tackles and broke up a pass during a 24–3 loss at the New England Patriots. Reed was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for November. On December 23, 2004, it was announced that Reed was selected to play in the 2005 Pro Bowl. He started in all 16 games and recorded 76 combined tackles (62 solo), eight pass deflections, a career-high nine interceptions, three forced fumbles, and two sacks.

Reed was named as a First-team All-Pro for the first time. He was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press. In addition, Reed set an NFL mark for most interception return yardage in a season, accumulating 358 return yards on nine interceptions; Reed held this record until 2009, when it was exceeded by Darren Sharper. He also returned an interception 106 yards for a touchdown, which was an NFL record until Reed reclaimed the record in 2008.

The Baltimore Ravens promoted defensive line coach Rex Ryan to defensive coordinator after Mike Nolan accepted the head coaching position with the San Francisco 49ers. Ryan opted to retain Reed and Will Demps as the starting safeties for the fourth consecutive season. On October 16, 2005, Reed collected a season-high six combined tackles during a 16–3 win against the Cleveland Browns in Week 6. Reed was inactive for the next six games (Weeks 7–12) due to an ankle injury. He finished the 2005 season with 37 combined tackles (33 solo), nine passes defensed, and an interception in ten games and ten starts.

On June 27, 2006, the Baltimore Ravens signed Reed to a six-year, $40 million contract extension that included a $15 million signing bonus.

In Week 4, Reed collected a season-high seven combined tackles, broke up a pass, and recorded his first career safety during a 16–13 win against the San Diego Chargers. On November 5, 2006, Reed made three combined tackles and scored a touchdown in the Ravens' 26–20 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9. Reed scored a touchdown after teammate Samari Rolle intercepted a pass by Carson Palmer, that was intended for Chad Johnson, and returned it 24-yards before handing it off to Reed who returned it for the remaining 24-yards for a touchdown. On December 10, 2006, he recorded three combined tackles, made a season-high three pass deflections, and intercepted two passes by Chiefs' quarterback Trent Green during a 20–10 win at the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 14. On December 20, 2006, Reed was named to the 2007 Pro Bowl. He started in all 16 games in 2006 and recorded 59 combined tackles (51 solo), nine pass deflections, five interceptions, a forced fumble, and a touchdown. He was named as a First Team All-Pro for the second time.

The Ravens went 13–3 that season, good enough for the #2 seed and the first round bye in the playoffs. In the Divisional Round against the #3 seeded Indianapolis Colts, Reed had two interceptions off of Peyton Manning along with three pass deflections and a solo tackle. Despite his performance, the Ravens lost 15–6.

Head coach Brian Billick named Reed the starting free safety to begin the regular season in 2007, alongside strong safety Dawan Landry.

He started in the Baltimore Ravens' season-opener at the Cincinnati Bengals and made one tackle, deflected a pass, and had his first career punt return for a touchdown in their 27–20 loss. Reed returned a punt by Kyle Larson in the fourth quarter and returned it, untouched, for a 63-yard touchdown to put the Ravens' ahead 20–19. On October 14, 2007, he recorded three combined tackles, deflected a pass, and made an interception during a 23–3 win against the St. Louis Rams in Week 6. On December 18, 2007, it was announced that Reed was selected to play in the 2008 Pro Bowl. On December 31, 2007, the Baltimore Ravens fired head coach Brian Billick after they finished with a 5–11 record in 2007. He started in all 16 games in 2007 and recorded 39 combined tackles (29 solo), 13 pass deflections, and seven interceptions. Reed served as a backup punt returner in 2007 and finished the season with ten punt returns for 94-yards and one touchdown. He was named as a First Team All-Pro for the third time.

Head coach John Harbaugh retained Reed and Dawan Landry as the starting safeties in 2008. On September 21, 2008, Reed recorded two combined tackles, broke up two passes, and returned an interception for a 32-yard touchdown during a 28–10 win against the Cleveland Browns in Week 3. In Week 12, Reed made two combined tackles, a season-high four pass deflections, and intercepted two passes during a 36–7 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles to earn AFC Defensive Player of the Week. Reed's first interception of the game came in the first quarter off a pass by Donovan McNabb which led to McNabb's eventually benching. He made a second interception off a pass by quarterback Kevin Kolb and returned it for an NFL record 107-yard touchdown. The previous record was also held by Reed and was a 106-yard interception return for a touchdown in 2004. The ball he intercepted and the jersey he wore during the play are now displayed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In Week 14, he earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his game against Washington. In Week 15, he collected a season-high eight combined tackles and had a sack on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during a 13–9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. On December 16, 2008, Reed was announced as a part of the 2009 Pro Bowl roster. The following week, he made one tackle, two pass deflections, and intercepted two passes by quarterback Tony Romo in the Ravens' 33–24 win at the Dallas Cowboys in Week 16. In Week 17, Reed recorded three solo tackles, broke up two passes, and intercepted two pass attempts by David Garrard in Baltimore's 27–7 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars. His performance marked his fourth game of the season with two interceptions. Reed earned AFC Defensive Player of the Month for December. Reed started all 16 games in 2008 and recorded 41 combined tackles (34 solo), 16 pass deflections, tied his career-high of nine interceptions, two touchdowns, a sack, and a forced fumble. He was named as a First Team All-Pro for the second time.

The Baltimore Ravens finished the 2008 season second in the AFC North with an 11–5 record and earned a playoff berth. On January 4, 2009, Reed had one tackle, broke up two passes, made two interceptions, and returned one for a touchdown during the Ravens' 27–9 win at the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Wild Card Round. Both interceptions came off pass attempts by quarterback Chad Pennington. The Baltimore Ravens reached the AFC Championship, but were defeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers who went on to win Super Bowl XLIII. Reed recorded two solo tackles and deflected a pass as the Ravens lost 23–14.

On January 26, 2009, Baltimore Ravens' head coach John Harbaugh promoted linebackers coach Greg Mattison to defensive coordinator after Rex Ryan accepted the head coaching position with the New York Jets. Mattison opted to retain Reed and Dawan Landry as the starting safety duo in 2009.

In Week 5, Reed recorded a season-high six solo tackles, deflected a pass, and returned an interception for a touchdown during the Ravens' 17–14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Reed intercepted a pass attempt by quarterback Carson Palmer, that was intended for wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, and returned it for a 42-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Reed sustained a groin injury and was inactive for four games (Weeks 13–16). On December 29, 2009, it was announced that Reed was selected to play in the 2010 Pro Bowl. He finished the 2009 season with 50 combined tackles (42 solo), five pass deflections, three interceptions, three forced fumbles, and a touchdown. Reed was the only player unanimously voted onto the AP 2008 NFL All-Pro team. In 2009, Reed was selected to the Sporting News's Team of the Decade (2000s).

The Baltimore Ravens finished second in their division with a 9–7 record, but were eliminated after losing 20–3 at the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Divisional Round. Reed recorded an interception in each of the Ravens' playoff games. Reed was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-Decade Team for the 2000s.

Reed underwent hip surgery during the offseason and was unable to physically participate in OTA's, training camp, and also missed the entire preseason. On September 4, 2010, the Baltimore Ravens placed Reed on their physically unable to perform list after it was determined that his recovery from hip surgery would take longer than originally expected. Head coach John Harbaugh named Tom Zbikowski during Reed's absence.

On October 24, 2010, Reed made four solo tackles, two pass deflections, forced a fumble, and intercepted two passes by Bills' quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick during a 37–34 win against the Buffalo Bills in Week 7. In Week 14, he collected a season-high seven combined tackles and broke up a pass in the Ravens' 34–28 win at the Houston Texans. On December 26, 2010, Reed recorded three combined tackles, made two pass deflections, and intercepted two passes by quarterback Colt McCoy during a 20–10 win at the Cleveland Browns in Week 16. The following week, he recorded two combined tackles, made a season-high three pass deflections, and intercepted two passes by Bengals'quarterback Carson Palmer during a 13–7 win against the Cincinnati Bengals. It became his third game of the season with multiple interceptions. He was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week. In addition, he was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for December. On December 28, 2010, Reed was announced as a 2011 Pro Bowl selection. Reed completed the 2010 season with 37 combined tackles (30 solo), tied his career-high of 16 pass deflections, and led the league with eight interceptions in ten games and ten starts. He was named as a First Team All-Pro. He was ranked fifth by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011.

On January 18, 2011, the Baltimore Ravens promoted secondary coach Chuck Pagano to defensive coordinator after Greg Mattison accepted the defensive coordinator position at Michigan. Head coach John Harbaugh named Reed the starting free safety to begin the regular season, alongside strong safety Bernard Pollard and cornerbacks Chris Carr and Jimmy Smith. Pollard replaced Dawan Landry who started alongside Reed for the previous five seasons (2006–2010).

Reed started in the Baltimore Ravens' season-opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers and recorded six solo tackles, a season-high four pass deflections, and intercepted two passes by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in their 35–7 victory. Reed earned his 12th career game with multiple interceptions and surpassed former San Francisco 49ers' safety Ronnie Lott for most multi-interception games in a career. Lott had previously held the record with 11 games with multiple interceptions since 1993. The following week, he collected a season-high eight combined tackles during a 26–13 loss at the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. On December 27, 2011, it was announced that Reed was selected to the 2012 Pro Bowl. Reed started in all 16 games in 2011 and recorded 52 combined tackles (44 solo), eight pass deflections, three interceptions, and a sack.

The Baltimore Ravens finished atop the AFC North with a 12–4 record and clinched a playoff berth. On January 15, 2012, Reed recorded six solo tackles, deflected four passes, and intercepted a pass by quarterback T. J. Yates in the fourth quarter of the Ravens' 20–13 victory against the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional Round Reed deflected another pass to seal the Ravens' victory, but was injured slightly. The following week, he made four combined tackles and two pass deflections as the Ravens lost 23–20 to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. He was ranked 16th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.

On January 27, 2012, Baltimore Ravens' head coach John Harbaugh promoted linebackers coach Dean Pees to defensive coordinator after Chuck Pagano accepted the head coaching position with the Indianapolis Colts. Pees retained Reed and Bernard Pollard as the starting safeties in 2012.

Reed skipped out on a mandatory minicamp, but returned for training camp. He started in the Baltimore Ravens' season-opener against the Cincinnati Bengals and made two solo tackles, deflected two passes, and returned an interception by Andy Dalton for a 34-yard touchdown on their 44–13 victory. His 34-yard interception return made him the NFL's all-time leader in career interception return yards. In Week 3, Reed collected a season-high nine combined tackles and broke up two passes during a 31–30 victory against the New England Patriots. On November 19, 2012, Reed was given a one-game suspension by the league "for repeated violations of the rule prohibiting hits to the head and neck area of defenseless players" following an unnecessary roughness call for a hit on wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. Reed was considered a repeat offender based on his prior hits to wide receiver Deion Branch earlier in the season and to quarterback Drew Brees in 2010. The suspension was later overturned, and Reed was fined $50,000 for the hit. On December 26, 2012, it was announced that Reed was selected to the 2013 Pro Bowl. He started in all 16 games in 2012 and recorded 58 combined tackles (45 solo), 16 pass deflections, four interceptions, and a touchdown.

The Baltimore Ravens finished atop the AFC North with a 10–6 record and earned a playoff berth. They reached Super Bowl XLVII after defeating the Indianapolis Colts 24–9 in the AFC Wild Card Round, the Denver Broncos 38–35 in the AFC Divisional Round, and also defeated the New England Patriots 28–13 in the AFC Championship. On February 3, 2013, Reed started in Super Bowl XLVII and recorded five solo tackles, deflected a pass, and intercepted a pass by 49ers' quarterback Colin Kaepernick in the Ravens' 34–31 victory against the San Francisco 49ers. He was ranked 18th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.

On January 24, 2013, Reed stated that despite repeated reports he might retire, he intended to play the next year.

Reed became a free agent after his contract expired at the end of the 2012 season. While he had considered retiring after the 2012 season, Reed stated after the Super Bowl that he intended to continue playing football in 2013.

Reed scored a total of 14 touchdowns in his career with the Baltimore Ravens.

On March 22, 2013, Reed signed a three-year contract worth $15 million with $5 million guaranteed with the Houston Texans. Later in the 2013 offseason, Reed underwent arthroscopic surgery in his hip to repair a small labral tear. Reed made his Houston Texans debut on September 22, 2013, against the Ravens in Baltimore. As the season progressed, Reed saw his playing time reduced. He eventually lost his starting job to Shiloh Keo during Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts.

On November 10, 2013, Reed only played 12 snaps in a loss against the Arizona Cardinals. After the game, Reed told the media that the team was "outplayed and outcoached". A few days later, Reed was released by the Texans after displaying limited production with just 16 tackles, no interceptions, no forced fumbles, and no passes defended through seven games.

Reed was signed by the New York Jets on November 14, 2013, after clearing waivers. The move reunited Reed with head coach Rex Ryan, whom he played for when Ryan was the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens. Reed played his first game as a Jet on November 17, 2013, against the Buffalo Bills.

In Week 14, he recorded his first interception of the 2013 season against Oakland Raiders quarterback Matt McGloin. In Weeks 16 and 17, against the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins respectively, Reed had an interception late in each game's fourth quarter, to preserve the Jets' win. The interceptions helped the Jets close the season with two straight wins to finish with an 8–8 record, which played a major part in Rex Ryan keeping his job as head coach. With the Jets, Reed played in seven games, of which he started five, with 22 tackles, four passes defended, and three interceptions, which was tied for the team lead. Overall, in 2013, combined with both teams he played for, Reed played 14 games, of which he started 10, with 42 total tackles, four passes defended, and three interceptions.

Reed announced his retirement on May 6, 2015, signing a one-day contract on May 7 to retire as a Baltimore Raven.

Reed was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on February 2, 2019, his first year of eligibility. He was the third homegrown Raven who achieved the sport's highest career recognition. He was named to the NFL 100 All Time Team.

On January 13, 2016, Reed was hired as an assistant defensive backs coach for the Buffalo Bills. This reunited him with coach Rex Ryan for the third time, after stints together with the Ravens and Jets during Reed's playing career. After serving the 2016 season in Buffalo, Reed was not retained by new coach Sean McDermott after Ryan's dismissal.

On December 27, 2022, Reed was hired as the new head coach of the Bethune–Cookman Wildcats football team. Before he officially became the coach of the team, Bethune–Cookman declined to ratify the contract on January 21, 2023, which vacated the football team's head coaching position. Prior to his dismissal, Reed recorded a live stream on which he vociferously criticized the condition of the school's athletic facilities. In the wake of this decision, Reed continued his criticism of the university, saying "I'm not withdrawing my name as they say. They don't want me here. They do not want me because I tell the truth."

On January 13, 2025, Reed was announced as the offensive coordinator of Chamblee High School in Chamblee, Georgia, near Atlanta.

On January 30, 2020, Reed was hired by the University of Miami as the football team's chief of staff, an advisory role to head coach Manny Diaz. Following the departure of Diaz, Reed stayed in his role under new head coach Mario Cristobal.

Reed is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. He was initiated on November 16, 2024 through the Grambling Alumni Chapter.

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Wednesday, October 7, 2026

The Story And Significance Of Kevin Mawae - Blocked For The Most 100-Yard Rusher Games In NFL History With 90 Games Accomplishing That Feat

Kevin James Mawae is an American former professional football player who was a center in the National Football League for 16 seasons. Mawae played college football for the LSU Tigers, earning first-team All-SEC honors. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 1994 NFL draft. After joining the New York Jets in 1998, he received six consecutive Pro Bowl selections and five-first All-Pro honors during his eight seasons with the team. Mawae spent his final four seasons as a member of the Tennessee Titans, extending his Pro Bowl selections to eight and his first-team All-Pro honors to seven. Near the end of his career, he also served two terms as NFLPA president from 2008 to 2012.

Following his retirement, Mawae pursued a coaching career and was hired by the Colts in 2021 as their assistant offensive line coach. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.

Mawae was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round (36th overall) of the 1994 NFL draft. He was Louisiana State's highest selected offensive lineman since Bo Strange in 1961. Mawae saw his first pro action at right guard against the Los Angeles Raiders on September 11, and never left the lineup after taking over early in the game versus the Indianapolis Colts. He finished the season playing in 14 games, starting the final 11 at right guard.

After the season Mawae earned first-team All-Rookie honors from Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers Association, College and Pro Football Newsweekly and Football News.

In 1995, he started all 16 games at right guard, seeing time at center in two games. In his first two seasons he helped pave the way for Seahawks running back Chris Warren to have back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons of over 1,300 yards rushing.

He was moved to the center position at the start of his 1996 season and remained at that spot for the rest of his NFL career.

In 1998, Mawae was signed by the New York Jets. In his first season in New York, the Jets' offense averaged 357.2 yards per game (second-best in AFC and fourth-best in NFL), while controlling the ball for an average of 32:17 minutes per game (second-best in AFC and third-best in NFL), also helped running back Curtis Martin to rush for franchise-record eight 100-yard rushing games en route to 1,287-yard season. He started all 16 games. In 1999, he was named to his first Pro Bowl on December 22, he did not miss a play for the second straight season and paved the way for Martin's then franchise-record of 1,464 yards rushing, and snapped to three different quarterbacks; Vinny Testaverde, Rick Mirer and Ray Lucas.

During the 2000 NFL season, he was a member of an offensive line that managed to tie the Indianapolis Colts for the fewest sacks allowed during the regular season with 20. Also, he helped the Jets offense average 337.2 yards per game which was the 12th best in the NFL and the passing offense averaged 245.3 yards per game (sixth in NFL). Mawae earned his second consecutive starting spot as an AFC team Pro Bowl center when he was selected to the Pro Bowl on six consecutive occasions (1999–2004). In 2002, he underwent offseason shoulder surgery to repair damage to his left rotator cuff; he missed two preseason games but kept his consecutive games started streak by making 124th consecutive starts. In the season opener against the Buffalo Bills. his unbroken streak of 177 games came to an end in October 2005 with a serious triceps injury to his left arm, and he missed the rest of the season. On March 5, 2006, he was cut by the Jets.


After being cut by the Jets, Mawae was signed by the Tennessee Titans nine days later on March 14, 2006. In his first season with Tennessee, he helped the offense rank third in the AFC and fifth in the NFL in rushing with 2,214 yards. The Titans set a franchise record by averaging 4.7 yards per carry, and the offensive line, led by Mawae, finished tied for 10th in the league with only 29 sacks allowed, Titans running back Travis Henry finished 2006 with 1,211 rushing yards and rookie quarterback Vince Young was named AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.

In 2007, Mawae was voted team captain and started 14 games, helping LenDale White register his first career 1,000-yard season as he finished with 1,110.

In 2009, Mawae was ranked fifth in a Sports Illustrated poll of "dirty players". The magazine surveyed 296 NFL players to come up with the ranking. Mawae was quoted on the Titans' site as saying he was "proud" of the recognition because he plays the game hard. "I’ve been known to leg whip a time or two. I've paid the price for those, both physically and in the pocket."

On September 10, 2010, Mawae announced that he was retiring from the NFL after 16 years in the league. Mawae would be elected to his 7th and 8th Pro Bowl for the 2008 and 2009 seasons. His last game was the 2009 Pro Bowl in February 2010.

On February 2, 2019, Mawae was announced to be a part of the 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

Mawae joined the NFLPA's executive committee in 2002, where he was elected president in March 2008 and was re-elected in 2010. In September 2010, Mawae announced his retirement from the NFL, however he continued to serve as president until the end of his term in March 2012. Mawae's term coincided with the death of longtime NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw and the 2011 NFL lockout, which Mawae has stated he believes hastened the end of his playing career.

During the NFL kickoff game broadcast in 2010, players from the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings "raised an index finger" as they took the field, a gesture Mawae has called "one of the proudest moments I ever had".

It was under his presidency that active players were present for negotiations of the collective bargaining agreement. He has also served as an assistant coach in the annual NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.

In 2016, Mawae joined the Chicago Bears coaching staff as an assistant offensive line coach. He was not retained by the Bears for the 2017 season.

In March 2018 Mawae joined the Arizona State University football staff as a quality control analyst where he was reunited with his former New York Jets head coach, Herm Edwards.

In February 2021, Mawae joined the Indianapolis Colts football staff as an assistant offensive line coach.

On January 23, 2023, Mawae became the head coach of the Lipscomb Academy football team in Nashville, Tennessee, replacing Trent Dilfer. On November 3, 2023, he and Lipscomb Academy "mutually agreed to part ways" after the school received a two-year post-season ban for violating a recruiting rule, two of which took place prior to him becoming the head coach.

Mawae is of Hawaiian descent. Mawae is married to Tracy Dale Hicks; he proposed to her in the summer of 1992 at LSU Fan Day in front of 140 teammates, 10 coaches and 3,000 fans over the public address system. The couple has a son, Kirkland (born 1997), and a daughter, Abigail (born 2000). The Mawaes were residing in Franklin, Tennessee, until selling the property in 2012. Kevin and his family have since settled back in their home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Before his NFL career, Mawae lost his brother, John, in a car accident. John, a former nose guard at LSU, left a profound effect on Kevin by establishing a strong faith prior to his death. Mawae's tragic loss inspired him to develop a strong Christian faith.

During the 2008 offseason, Mawae and his family spent two weeks in Africa with Children's Cup International Relief, a missions organization that the Mawae family has helped support financially. They traveled primarily in Swaziland, Mozambique, Zambia and Tanzania. He was Eddie Towne's favorite player in ESPN's hit show TILT. He created the First and Goal Challenge, a unique program to benefit Winthrop-University Hospital's outstanding Child Life Program and Pediatric Services.

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