While presenting defensive tackle Jarran Reed with a game ball following a standout performance last season, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald referred to Reed as "the OG leader of our D-line."
On Monday, the Seahawks made sure one of their defensive leaders would stick around in 2025 and beyond by re-signing Reed to a multi-year contract before Reed became a free agent with Wednesday's start of the new league year.
Reed, a second-round pick in the 2016 NFL draft, played his first five seasons in Seattle before spending the 2021 season in Kansas City and 2022 in Green Bay. Reed then returned to the Seahawks as a free agent in 2023, and has been a standout on the defensive line and leader in the locker room in his two years back with the team.
"It's been amazing for me, personally, mentally, just feeling comfortable and feeling at home, being able to play in my back yard," Reed said Monday of his time in Seattle. "That's what it feels like, it feels like I'm walking out of my house to my backyard to play football, play a game I love in the place I love to do it.
"I've got goals and aspirations; I want to bring a ring back here. I've been here basically my whole career, and it's turned into home for me."
Last season, Reed appeared in all 17 games, recording 45 tackles, 4.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, 15 quarterback hits, two passes defensed and a forced fumble, and he also became the 50th player in team history to play at least 100 games with the Seahawks. In his 10-year career, Reed has appeared in 139 games, 105 of them in Seattle, and recorded 388 tackles, 38.5 sacks, 41 tackles for loss and 111 quarterback hits.
By re-signing, Reed returns to a Seahawks defense that found its way midway through its first season under Macdonald, leaving everyone on that side of the ball excited about what's to come.
"That's all I've been talking about," Reed said. "That brings a smile to my face right there, just knowing what we've got, knowing what we can bring to the table. It took us a minute last year to figure out our identity, and I think we've got it. We've got the right guys in the building now, I'm excited to get this defense rolling. The defense was really gelling towards the end of the year, we got really close, and I think we're doing the right things off the field to build that defensive bond."
Having left the Seahawks then returned, Reed has an appreciation for the quality of the organization, and made it clear last year that he hoped to stay in Seattle beyond the 2024 season.
"I love Seattle, I love the fans," Reed said last season. "This organization is first-class, a high-class organization. Man, I have respect for John (Schneider) and Jody (Allen) and everybody who makes it possible for us as Seahawks and to go out there and perform and do what we do. It's been a long time. From the time I got drafted here, I think I said this in an interview before I knew I was getting drafted, I felt it. So being here, it is another home for me. I have nothing but respect for the people around the building. Stu (McNabb), Spider (Kevin Martinez-Jara) my guy, in the cafeteria, they're my guys. EK (Erik Kennedy) and the equipment room, Strick (David Stricklin) and C.J. (Neumann), all the guys in the training room. I have nothing but respect for everybody around me. I try to treat everybody with respect and show them the respect that they deserve. They do a lot for us to be able to go out here and perform and do what we do as well.
"Of course, I want to stay. I want to retire here. I mean, I've been here basically my whole career except for two years. Like I said earlier, this is home, man. So I would definitely like to end it off here however long that may be."
Reed isn't done yet, but Monday's signing puts him a step closer to that goal of ending his career with the team that drafted him nearly a decade ago.
Seahawks defensive lineman Jarran Reed finished the 2024 season with 45 tackles, 5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Check out some of the best photos of the nine-year vet from this past season.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during 2024 offseason workouts.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during 2024 offseason workouts.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during 2024 training camp.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) with Seahawks Legend Michael Bennett prior to kickoff of the preseason matchup at the Titans at Nissan Stadium.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 1 win vs. the Denver Broncos at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 1 win vs. the Denver Broncos at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 2 win over the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 2 win over the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 2 win over the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 3 win vs. the Miami Dolphins at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 3 win vs. the Miami Dolphins at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 3 win vs. the Miami Dolphins at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 4 Monday Night Football matchup vs. the Detroit Lions at Ford Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 4 Monday Night Football matchup vs. the Detroit Lions at Ford Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 4 Monday Night Football matchup vs. the Detroit Lions at Ford Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 4 Monday Night Football matchup vs. the Detroit Lions at Ford Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 5 matchup vs. the New York Giants at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 5 matchup vs. the New York Giants at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 5 matchup vs. the New York Giants at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 5 matchup vs. the New York Giants at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 5 matchup vs. the New York Giants at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 6 Thursday Night Football matchup vs. the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 7 win over the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes Benz Stadium.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 8 matchup vs. the Buffalo Bills at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 9 matchup vs. the L.A. Rams at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 9 matchup vs. the L.A. Rams at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 9 matchup vs. the L.A. Rams at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 9 matchup vs. the L.A. Rams at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 11 win over the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 11 win over the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 12 win vs. the Arizona Cardinals at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 13 win over the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 14 win over the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 15 Sunday Night Football matchup vs. the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 15 Sunday Night Football matchup vs. the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 16 matchup vs. the Minnesota Vikings at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 16 matchup vs. the Minnesota Vikings at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 16 matchup vs. the Minnesota Vikings at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 16 matchup vs. the Minnesota Vikings at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 16 matchup vs. the Minnesota Vikings at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 16 matchup vs. the Minnesota Vikings at Lumen Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 17 win over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 17 win over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 17 win over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 17 win over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 17 win over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 17 win over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) celebrates the Week 16 win over the Chicago Bears at Solider Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) celebrates the Week 16 win over the Chicago Bears at Solider Field.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 18 win over the L.A. Rams at SoFi Stadium.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the Week 18 win over the L.A. Rams at SoFi Stadium.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) celebrates the Week 18 win over the L.A. Rams at SoFi Stadium.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) celebrates the Week 18 win over the L.A. Rams at SoFi Stadium.
