Jarran Reed: The Heart of the Seahawks’ Defense and a Decade-Long Climb to the Super Bowl
SAN JOSE, CA -
Jarran Reed doesn’t just play in the trenches - he thrives in them. Ten years into a career built on grit, grind, and a relentless motor, the veteran defensive tackle is heading into the biggest game of his life with the Seattle Seahawks, and he’s savoring every second.
At 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds, Reed is the kind of interior lineman who makes life miserable for offensive coordinators. He’s a run-stopper, a pocket-collapser, and a tone-setter - and now, at 33, he’s a Super Bowl-bound anchor for one of the youngest teams in the league. His journey has been anything but easy, but Reed wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’m very grateful for this,” Reed said Tuesday from San Jose, flashing a proud smile. “Everybody’s journey is different. Coming from Goldsboro, North Carolina, to East Mississippi, then Alabama... all the roles were there to get me to this moment.”
From JUCO to the Big Stage
Reed’s path to the Super Bowl is a classic football odyssey. He sharpened his skills - and his resolve - at East Mississippi Community College before earning a spot on Alabama’s dominant defensive front. From there, he became a second-round pick for Seattle in 2016 and quickly carved out a reputation as a physical force in the middle.
He took detours through Kansas City and Green Bay in 2021 and 2022, but Seattle brought him back in 2023 with a $12.8 million deal. That commitment grew even stronger in March, when the Seahawks extended him for three more years at $25 million. And now, in the franchise’s 50th season, Reed is once again a central figure in the Seahawks’ identity - both on the field and in the locker room.
The Veteran Voice in a Young Locker Room
Reed isn’t just clogging gaps - he’s helping guide a young team through the pressure cooker of a Super Bowl run. Head coach Mike Macdonald, who took over in 2024 after coordinating Baltimore’s defense, often calls on Reed to speak to the team after games.
His words carry weight. His presence sets the tone.
“Coach Macdonald came in, and we bought in early - right from OTAs,” Reed said. “We attack the day, attack the week. Everybody needs to be tackled.”
That mindset has become the foundation of Seattle’s defense. Reed is the veteran voice in a unit that rides together, literally and figuratively. At Super Bowl Opening Night, the defense showed up in unison - same ride, same bus, same mentality.
“One thing I said Monday is that Bus 3 is the defensive bus,” Reed said. “Nobody gets on Bus 3 but the defense.
We’re just like brothers out there. We trust each other.
We know where each guy is going to be. That connection started outside the locker room.”
Built for the Long Haul
So how does a defensive tackle survive a decade in the NFL trenches - a place where bodies collide and careers can be short-lived? For Reed, it’s a mix of love for the game, relentless preparation, and, yes, a little “grown-man strength.”
“I made a joke the other day in the weight room,” he said with a grin. “Now I got that grown-man strong, that dance strength.”
Reed studies film like a coach, prepping for every lineman he’ll face and every back he might have to chase down. He’s meticulous about taking care of his body, too - because he knows what it takes to keep going in this league.
“I love the game,” Reed said. “It’s done a lot for me.
I’ve been playing since I was five years old, and I’m 33 now. I’ve got a lot of football left.”
He’s also aware of how rare this moment is. Not every great player gets to play in a Super Bowl.
Reed has won titles at the junior college and college levels, but this week is different. This is the NFL’s biggest stage.
“Some greats never made it,” he said. “Never got a chance to experience this.
Man, I’m here - Year 10. Now I’m here to see if we can pull it out in the Super Bowl this week.”
Fatherhood and Football
Away from the field, Reed’s life is full of joy - and a little chaos - thanks to his two daughters. His oldest, Jacey, was born shortly before he was drafted in 2016. Now 10, she and her younger sister treat their dad like a jungle gym, even when he’s sore from Sunday’s battles in the trenches.
“My daughters are amazing,” Reed said, smiling. “Look, I’m their jungle gym.
They love crawling all over their dad. I really don’t mind.
And it doesn’t stop them if I’m sore or not.”
For Reed, football has been a life-changing opportunity. But fatherhood? That’s been the game-changer.
He remembers FaceTiming with Jacey as a baby, hearing her coo when she recognized his voice. Now, she climbs over him like it’s second nature. And for all the hits he takes on Sundays, it’s those moments at home that keep him grounded.
A Legacy Still Being Written
Jarran Reed has already left his mark on this league - with his play, his leadership, and his resilience. But this Sunday, he gets a shot at something even bigger: a Super Bowl ring.
He’s the kind of player who doesn’t seek the spotlight, but earns it anyway. And if Seattle’s defense makes noise on the game’s biggest stage, don’t be surprised if No. 90 is right in the middle of it - doing what he’s done for a decade: dominating the pit, and loving every minute of it.