Seahawks kicker Jeff Reed: ‘I have a lot to prove’
Aug 21, 2011, 4:33 PM | Updated: Aug 22, 2011, 11:31 am
By Liz Mathews
Jeff Reed is the lone kicker on the Seahawks’ 90-man roster after the team waived Brandon Coutu shortly before Saturday’s preseason game against the Vikings.
“I never take anything for granted. To his credit he had an awesome camp,” Reed said of Coutu in a postgame interview on Saturday night. “We competed every day and numbers-wise, he maybe made a couple more. But in his shoes, sometimes they go with a veteran over a younger guy.”
After kicker Olindo Mare jumped ship for the Panthers, the Seahawks signed Reed on Aug. 3 to add experience at the position. Reed spent eight seasons with the Steelers before his release by the team in November of last year. Reed finished out the season with the 49ers.
“I’m not to say I’m the guy. You know, I feel like I have a lot to prove,” Reed said . “I mean I have proven myself, but it’s a ‘what have you done lately for me business’ and I have to prove that I can contribute to this team or they will go elsewhere.”
“I take pride in being really consistent and being a big-time contributor to the team because as a kicker, a lot of guys are outcasts and not really in the mix. So I take pride in being a leader and making most of my kicks, but sometimes you are human and you are going to miss.”
Having kicked against the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL, Reed knows something about the team, although only two players from that season – cornerback Marcus Trufant and linebacker Leroy Hill – remain on the roster. While the Steelers won the game 21-10, there were a number of controversial officiating calls.
“I don’t think either team in that game really deserved a ring,” he said. “It was a boring game all around. There were some dropped passes, there were some bad plays and there was one really explosive play from Willie Parker. Other than that, you can blame anybody, but I was just glad to be on the winning side of that, I guess I should say.”
Finishing six of nine years in the league with a playoff appearance, Reed is used to the success, but feels that he still has some unfinished business.
“I’ve been very fortunate, but I’m not done yet,” he said. “I still feel that I’m not a household name and I’m out to prove myself.
“Luckily for me, hopefully I can help this team win a Super Bowl as well.”
