Jeff Reed: Give Me A Tryout & If I Suck, Don't Sign Me
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) – After Josh Scobee's struggles continued with missing two crucial field goals in the Steelers' 23-20 overtime loss to the Ravens on Thursday night, some fans called for the team to bring in Jeff Reed.
According to KDKA's Bob Pompeani, the Steelers are expected to hold kicker tryouts. He says former Redskins kicker Kai Forbath is among those expected be invited.
But "The Fan Morning Show" gave Reed a call Friday morning to talk to him about his chances of joining the Steelers.
Reed talked about his life and his fight to get another chance in the NFL, having been out of the league ever since the Steelers released him in 2010.
But after five years out of the league, could Reed still kick for the Steelers?
"If I ever say no to that, then I'm an idiot," Reed said. "So, yes."
Reed explained that he's not living the life of a pro athlete anymore, but still has it in him if the opportunity to return to football comes about.
"I'm in condition to kick," Reed said. "I do have a 72-hour a week job…I've taken a different approach to life after some mistakes and hiccups and other things that I've experienced…It's one of those things where I don't kick every week. I sure don't. I mean, if I told you that, I'm lying to you. But, I kicked about seven, eight weeks ago…I train three days a week - not as much as I'd like to, but when you work 9-9, you kind of like to sleep here and there."
Despite all that, Reed firmly believes that he has what it takes to warrant another chance to kick in the NFL.
"I may not be in shape like a 24 or 25-year-old that I was," Reed said. "But, I've always been a bigger guy that was just strong and not built like a kicker, and I still consider myself that, and the bottom line is I can kick a football…The only thing that really matters is I can make a field goal."
Reed has made countless attempts to get a tryout with the Steelers and has had most of his calls ignored, although a couple were returned.
"I have reached out probably about ten times," Reed said. "I got two returned phone calls from [Steelers GM] Kevin Colbert…One call we talked about kicking, one call we talked about life, because when you're part of the Steelers, you're part of the Steelers forever. I mean, there was an initial bitterness, because I just kind of wondered, why? I know I've made some mistakes, but why am I getting fired? But then you turn back around…and I can't be bitter towards an organization that helped me start my life and gave me so many things in life."
Reed explained that Colbert has doubts about what Reed can do after being away from the game for so long. All Reed wants is a chance to prove him wrong.
"Basically, [Colbert] said since I haven't been in the game for four years, I'm a question mark," Reed said. "And I said, well, the only way to erase the question mark is to give me a chance - and I don't mean just throw me right in the game. You can at least try me out. If I suck, then don't sign me."
That all being said, Reed made clear that he isn't looking to start a campaign for the Steelers to cut Josh Scobee.
"He's a friend of mine," Reed said. "So, I'm not going to come on here and badmouth him, because I don't have that in me."
Reed sees a reason why kicking in Pittsburgh may be a greater challenge for Scobee than kicking in Jacksonville, one that he warned Scobee about when he called him for tips on how to kick at Heinz Field after being traded from the Jaguars.
"Jacksonville, they don't really expect to win," Reed said. "When you play on a team that, every once in a while they'll sneak in a win or maybe they'll win six games, there's not a whole lot of pressure. When you come to Pittsburgh…he's dealing with a different kind of pressure."
The interview can be heard here:
