Former Washington tight end Jordan Reed retires from the NFL

One day after former Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith announced his retirement, one of his ex-teammates did the same.

Jordan Reed, a third-round draft choice by Washington back in 2013, is retiring from the game after eight years in the NFL, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.

Reed spent the first seven seasons of his NFL career with Washington. One of the most talented tight ends in recent memory, Reed, unfortunately, battled injuries over the course of his career.

Reed’s 2015 season showed his true potential in the NFL. Playing on a team with talented wide receivers Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson and Jamison Crowder, Reed was the focal point of that offense. The 2015 team, which was quarterbacked by Kirk Cousins, was one of the best in the NFL that season and won the NFC East.

Reed’s performance was a major reason for Washington’s success.

Reed signed a lucrative five-year extension in May 2016 and would make his first and only Pro Bowl later that year.

In 2017, Reed missed most of that season as he battled a hamstring injury, playing in just six games.

Reed returned in 2018 and caught 54 passes for Washington, but a toe injury in December sidelined him for the final few games.

The scariest part of Reed’s career came in a preseason game against Atlanta in 2019 when Falcons’ safety Keanu Neal lowered his helmet when tackling Reed. It was a brutal hit, giving Reed his seventh documented concussion.

He would not play in 2019 and was still in the NFL’s concussion protocol in February 2020. He was released shortly thereafter.

Reed would sign with the San Francisco 49ers in August of last year, rejoining his former offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan. Reed played in 10 games for the 49ers and finished with 26 receptions for 231 yards and four touchdowns.

Thankfully, Reed got to go out on his own terms after returning to the game in 2020.

Reed finished his career with 355 receptions for 3,602 yards and 28 touchdowns.