Jets cornerback D.J. Reed played with a heavy heart on Sunday after finding out just before the game that his father had died.
Reed said Monday that his father, Dennis Reed Sr., had been battling multiple sclerosis since 2004 and had taken a turn for the worse recently. Reed’s mother told him last week that they were taking his father off of the life support he had been on and he would likely die. Reed’s father survived until Sunday morning.
As Reed was preparing for pregame introductions at MetLife Stadium before the Jets faced the Ravens, he received texts from family members telling him his father died.
“It was really emotional,” Reed said. “The national anthem played and I was just crying and stuff.”
Reed played a strong game against Baltimore. He gave up no receptions and had an interception in the fourth quarter. He ran to midfield, took a knee and pointed to the sky in honor of his father. Some criticized him for the celebration since the score was 24-3 without knowing the meaning behind the tribute.
D.J. Reed pointed to the sky to honor his father — who he learned had died just before the game. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post“I honestly forgot about the score and all that,” Reed said. “I don’t want to say I didn’t care because I care about winning but it was just deeper than football when I got the interception. That is what I wanted to do. I wanted to pay tribute to my dad. I already knew what I was going to do and that’s what I did.”
Reed, who signed as a free agent from the Seahawks in March, said it was hard for him to focus on the game at first but he wanted to do it for his father.
“It was hard. It was basically just controlling my energy really,” Reed said. “My emotions were everywhere. I believe in God so I just thought for him to pass away right before the game, there was a reason for that because he could have passed during that whole week and he passed away literally right before the game started. I just said, ‘OK, I know he’s watching so I’m going to put on a show for him.’”
Reed said he is dedicating this season to his father.
“I’m paying tribute to my dad this year for sure, the whole year,” he said. “That’s what I told myself. This season’s for my dad.”
