Ed Reed returns to practice after spending time with family
The Baltimore Ravens are happy to have Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed back.
Reed recorded four tackles in their American Football Conference (AFC) Wild Card game on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, but he played with a heavy heart.
Reed’s younger brother, Brian Reed, was reported missing last week. He was chased by police in Louisiana with reports that he almost ran another driver off of the road. He was stopped by police who determined that the vehicle he was driving was stolen, and
instead of confronting them he jumped into the Mississippi River. A search over the next few days yielded nothing except Brian’s jacket and shoes.
After the game, Ed received the game ball and prayers from his team-mates and coaches, before boarding a private jet to spend time with his family in Louisiana. He returned on Tuesday night.
Reed said that being given the game ball was one of the ways that the Ravens have supported him in his time of need. His team-mates and family members helped Ed focus on the task at hand, instead of worrying about his brother, who has been missing since
Friday.
"Ed got back and he practiced," Ravens coach John Harbaugh told reporters Tuesday. "He went through the meetings today. He got back for the meetings. He was in good spirits. He seemed like he was doing pretty well."
His return to the practice field showed that he is determined to play in Saturday’s playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Reed’s mother, Karen Reed said that the car that Brian was driving was not stolen, but was the property of her other son. Ed said that times like these remind players that there are other priorities in life besides professional football.
"It's a child's game we play," Reed said. "It's not tough to focus on this stuff. Being around these guys helped me stay focused and going forward in life knowing God has got everything. I'm not worried about football. That's the least of my worries."
The Ravens are scheduled to play the Steelers in a game that has been labelled 'World War III', on Saturday 15 January at 4:30 PM ET at Heinz Field.
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