Andre Reed facts for kids
Reed in March 2009
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| No. 83, 84 | |||||||
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | January 29, 1964 Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Dieruff (Allentown, Pennsylvania) |
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| College: | Kutztown (1982–1984) | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1985 / Round: 4 / Pick: 86 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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Andre Darnell Reed (born January 29, 1964) is a former American football player. He was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played for 16 seasons, mostly with the Buffalo Bills.
Andre Reed played college football at Kutztown University. The Bills picked him in the fourth round of the 1985 NFL draft. He played 15 seasons with the Bills. During this time, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl seven times. He finished his career with the Washington Redskins in 2000.
Reed is known for his amazing catches and helping the Bills reach four Super Bowls in a row. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Andre Reed was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on January 29, 1964. He started playing football at Dieruff High School. There, he played as a quarterback.
His high school was part of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. This league is known for producing many great college and NFL players. In 1981, during his senior year, Reed helped Dieruff win a share of the league championship.
College Football Career
After high school, Reed went to Kutztown University. He changed his position to wide receiver. NFL scouts quickly noticed his speed and toughness.
He set nine school records during his college career. He finished with 142 catches for 2,020 yards. He also scored 14 touchdowns.
Professional Football Journey
Playing for the Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills drafted Andre Reed in 1985. He was the 86th player chosen overall. He was only the second player from Kutztown to be drafted into the NFL.
Reed played for the Bills for 15 seasons, from 1985 to 1999. He was a key player in helping the Bills reach four straight Super Bowls. These were Super Bowl XXV to Super Bowl XXVIII.
In 2000, the Bills released Reed. This happened because the team had money problems with their player salaries. This change started a tough time for the Bills. They did not make the playoffs again until 2017.
"The Comeback" Game
Andre Reed is famous for his role in "The Comeback" game. This was a playoff game on January 3, 1993. The Bills played against the Houston Oilers.
Houston was leading 35–3 in the third quarter. But the Bills made an incredible comeback! Reed caught three touchdowns in the second half. This helped Buffalo erase a 32-point deficit. It was the biggest comeback in NFL history.
Reed finished that game with eight catches for 136 yards and three touchdowns. This game is still remembered as one of the greatest in NFL history. It is also one of the biggest comebacks in any professional sport.
After this amazing win, the Bills went to Super Bowl XXVII. They lost to the Dallas Cowboys 52–17. Reed had eight catches for 152 yards in that game.
Short Stays with Denver and Washington
In 2000, Reed signed with the Denver Broncos. But he was not getting much playing time. He asked to be released from the team.
He then joined the Washington Redskins. He played his final NFL season with them in 2000. After that season, he retired from professional football.
Andre Reed's NFL Records
Andre Reed holds many impressive NFL records. He is 15th in NFL history for touchdown receptions with 87. He is also ninth in all-time post-season receptions with 85.
He had over 1,000 receiving yards in four different seasons. He also rushed for 500 yards and one touchdown. Reed played in 234 NFL games. This shows how tough and durable he was throughout his career.
Super Bowl Achievements
In his four Super Bowl appearances, Reed made 27 catches. This is the second-most total Super Bowl receptions ever. Only Jerry Rice has more with 33.
His 323 total Super Bowl receiving yards are the third-most in history. Rice had 604 yards, and Lynn Swann had 364 yards.
NFL Career Statistics
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 1985 | BUF | 16 | 15 | 48 | 637 | 13.3 | 32 | 4 | — | 3 | -1 | -0.3 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | BUF | 15 | 15 | 53 | 739 | 13.9 | 55 | 7 | — | 3 | -8 | -2.7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | BUF | 12 | 12 | 57 | 752 | 13.2 | 40 | 5 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | BUF | 15 | 14 | 71 | 968 | 13.6 | 65 | 6 | — | 6 | 64 | 10.7 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | BUF | 16 | 16 | 88 | 1,312 | 13.7 | 78 | 9 | — | 2 | 31 | 15.5 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | BUF | 16 | 16 | 71 | 945 | 13.3 | 56 | 8 | — | 3 | 23 | 7.7 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | BUF | 16 | 16 | 81 | 1,113 | 13.7 | 55 | 10 | 62 | 12 | 136 | 11.3 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | BUF | 16 | 16 | 65 | 913 | 14.0 | 51 | 3 | 41 | 8 | 65 | 8.1 | 24 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 1993 | BUF | 15 | 15 | 52 | 854 | 16.4 | 65 | 6 | 32 | 9 | 21 | 2.3 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 1994 | BUF | 16 | 16 | 90 | 1,303 | 14.5 | 83 | 8 | 64 | 10 | 87 | 8.7 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 1995 | BUF | 6 | 6 | 24 | 312 | 13.0 | 41 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 48 | 6.9 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 1996 | BUF | 16 | 16 | 66 | 1,036 | 15.7 | 78 | 6 | 42 | 8 | 22 | 2.8 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 | BUF | 15 | 15 | 60 | 880 | 14.7 | 77 | 5 | 39 | 3 | 11 | 3.7 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | BUF | 15 | 13 | 63 | 795 | 12.6 | 67 | 5 | 49 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | BUF | 16 | 16 | 52 | 536 | 10.3 | 30 | 1 | 31 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | WAS | 13 | 0 | 10 | 103 | 10.3 | 21 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 234 | 217 | 951 | 13,198 | 13.9 | 83 | 87 | 378 | 75 | 500 | 6.7 | 46 | 1 | 12 | 9 | |
Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame
In 2006, Andre Reed was voted into the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame. This is a special honor for Bills players. Their names are put in cement inside Highmark Stadium.
Reed was inducted in 2009. He joined his former teammate Bruce Smith and team owner Ralph Wilson. Many people at the ceremony called him a "future Hall of Famer."
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Andre Reed became eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. This is the highest honor for a former NFL player. However, he was not chosen in his first seven years. This was partly because many other great wide receivers were also waiting.
Players like Art Monk, Michael Irvin, and Cris Carter were inducted first. Then, Jerry Rice and Tim Brown became eligible. Rice is considered one of the best players ever. This made it harder for Reed to get in right away.
Finally, on February 1, 2014, Andre Reed was selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was officially inducted on August 2, 2014.
Life After Football: Television
After retiring from the NFL in 2000, Andre Reed started a television career. He has worked as a football commentator on the ESPN2 show, First Take. He also appears as an analyst on NFL on Fox.
He has also appeared on other TV shows. He was on the Spike TV sports series Pros vs. Joes. He also had roles in TV dramas. He appeared in Hawaii Five-0 and MacGyver. He even played himself on Magnum PI.
Giving Back: Philanthropy
Andre Reed cares about helping others. In 2010, he started The Andre Reed Foundation. This foundation helps children who are not as lucky. It helps them reach their full potential.
Reed is also an ambassador for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). He was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2015. He leads a reading program for kids called "Read with Reed 83 Challenge."
Legacy and Honors
On October 18, 2014, Kutztown University honored Andre Reed. They renamed their football field to Andre Reed Stadium. This was a special ceremony to celebrate his achievements.
Personal Life
In 2023, Andre Reed married Theresa Villano in San Diego, California. He also hosts an annual celebrity golf event. He has been doing this for over 10 years.
Andre's nephew, Jackson Reed, also plays college football. He is a wide receiver for Susquehanna University. Jackson wears the number 83, just like his uncle. Jackson is a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles. But he also cheers for the Buffalo Bills because of his uncle's history with the team.
