Ed Reed signed a three-year contract with the Houston Texans this past offseason and ended up playing just seven games for the franchise. Reed was benched toward the end of his tenure in Houston, leading many to believe the 35-year-old is simply no longer physically capable of producing. The New York Jets obviously disagreed.
Reed, who has been reunited with former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, spoke to reporters on Wednesday about what went wrong during his short time in Houston. He basically blamed the defensive scheme. More specifically, Reed said Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips wanted him gone.
“In hindsight he’s probably the reason I’m not there,” Reed said of Phillips, via Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. “He came in (the day I was cut) and basically just made sure I was leaving.”
In addition to claiming Phillips was the reason his tenure in Houston was a failure, Reed also questioned whether the scheme is a good fit for a lot of players who are still with the team.
“I don’t even know how to describe it. It was some interesting stuff I experienced with a different organization,” he said. “That defense is not a good fit for a lot of people, not just me. The truth is the truth. You got to look at the playcalling and put your players in position to make plays. That defense was not a good fit for a lot of people that are still there.”
Reed, who wears No. 22 with the Jets, also said he wishes he never wore No. 20 for any team but the Ravens.
Even if Reed is telling the truth, blaming Phillips and the defensive system isn’t a good look for him. Phillips has been the Texans’ defensive coordinator since 2011, so Reed should have done enough research to know if Houston was the right fit. In reality, he was looking to sign with the contender that gave him the most money. It simply failed to work out.
H/T Albert Breer
