Ed Reed’s bizarre and brief time with Bethune-Cookman began with an exciting announcement on December 27th that the university reached an agreement with the Pro Football Hall of Famer to become their new head football coach.
โBethune-Cookman University Athletics has entered an agreement in principle with Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed to be its 16th head football coach,โ tweeted the university.
Football fans rejoiced and expressed their excitement to have the former Miami Hurricanes and NFL legend at the helm of an HBCU institution.
Reed’s presence extended the trend of adding NFL talent to HBCU programs, something seen with programs such as Morgan State (Tyrone Wheatley), Tennessee St. (Eddie George), Grambling (Hue Jackson) and of course Jackson St (Deion Sanders).
Deion’s tenure and manner of exit ruffled the feathers of some in the HBCU community. Many feel that HBCUs do not need NFL personalities to bring credibility to, or act as “saviors” for, these programs. That’s perfectly understandable for as much as Deion brought and gave to Jackson St., the university also provided him with the opportunity to launch his collegiate coaching career.
Regardless of the feelings, Reed’s “hiring” generally brought more happiness than hesitancy across the entire college football landscape.
But then things quickly and shockingly soured.
Reed went on two IG Live rants about the mindset of some at the institution and the conditions of the school’s facilities.
And despite his eventual apology, keeping it real had already gone wrong.
On Saturday afternoon, Reed took to IG Live once again, only this time he announced that Bethune-Cookman (BC) decided not to ratify his pending contract to become the university’s head football coach.
“I am NOT withdrawing my name as the Head Coach at Bethune Cookman,” wrote Reed. “The administration and the AD are forcing me out. Thank you to all that supported me and my staff through this process. Good day and God bless.”
The university confirmed its decision later that day.
“While we appreciate the initial interest in our football program displayed by Mr. Reed during the course of recent weeks, we are also mindful of the qualities and attributes that must be exhibited by our institutional personnel during what have been uniquely challenging times for our campus as we recover from the impact of two hurricanes during this past fall semester,” wrote the university.
“Bethune-Cookman University was founded with core guiding principles centered around integrity, accountability, and mutual respect for others. These guiding principles have and will continue to weigh heavily on all decisions made that impact our university.”
Ironically, the decision came less than a day after Reed posted a video showing athletes cleaning up the campus and stating how BC students will lead the way in keeping Daytona, FL clean and proud.
Saturday’s decision sent shockwaves throughout the college football landscape, especially across the HBCU community where opinions varied.
Some were supportive of Reed’s passion and upset with Bethune-Cookman’s decision while others felt Reed got what he deserved for embarrassing BC and HBCUs in general with his rants. Some railed against the university for having an outdated mentality while others supported BC for standing up for itself. Some ripped the school for not addressing the issues Reed highlighted while others defended BC by highlighting the fact that the university and many other HBCUs have been historically underfunded by states for decades.
Ed Reed And Lessons Learned
The situation involving Ed Reed is a lesson-packed one.
While Reed was right in identifying problems at the university, he was wrong in exposing them the way he did. Embarrassing a potential employer before you’re an actual employee isn’t smart.
With that in mind, it’s crucial to remember that no deal is complete and finalized until the paperwork is signed. Without that, there is no guarantee, protection or promise. So wait until you’re signed, sealed and delivered before you try to effect change. Deion followed the blueprint but Reed failed to read it in full.
Reed’s parting further proved that HBCU pride is thriving. It’s always existed, but the recent influx of NFL talent to HBCU programs has only made that passion more apparent to those who didn’t attend HBCUs or knew nothing about them in general.
Reed exposed that problems exist at HBCUs, just as they do at every other single institution across the country. However, they’re magnified at HBCUs because many don’t know the history of these issues and their contribution to the reality HBCUs face. Many of these problems revolve around decades of severe financial underfunding that robbed HBCUs of the ability to build new facilities, attract more students, adapt to advances in technology, expand program/curriculum offerings and more.
Forbes notes that between 1987 and 2020, “18 Black schools were underfunded by an aggregate of $12.8 billion.”
That’s a staggering, mind-numbing figure.
These institutions have been fighting for restitution for years. Yet until recently, the general public was vastly unaware of the massive systemic underfunding hampering these institutions as it was largely ignored by mass media.
Reed rightfully challenged the existing mindset of those running HBCU institutions. While that doesn’t apply to all HBCUs as some have changed, and others are in the process of doing so, some HBCU administrations and administrators need to think differently as times have changed.
The same goes for individuals in the HBCU community. Pride for your school is understandable, but sometimes it camouflages reality. This is especially true when it comes to sports and the challenges of running an athletic department. Sports media needs to be more welcoming, but individuals supporting HBCUs need to have a better understanding of how the industry works so that they are better equipped to fight for HBCU sports.
Regardless of your feelings about the NFL to HBCU coaching pipeline, there’s no denying its impact on HBCU programs and institutions.
Recruiting has intensified and expanded, enrollment at many schools has increased, funding is starting to move in the right direction, and, based upon the chatter surrounding the pattern of NFL talent heading to HBCU programs, consideration of HBCUs as a destination for academics and/or athletics has increased.
So while Ed Reed’s brief and bizarre time with Bethune-Cookman is over, there are lessons that everyone can learn so that the next hiring situation isn’t marred by controversy before it’s finalized.
