Former NFL Safety and Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee, Ed Reed, named as keynote speaker for 2024 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

Celebrating a yearly tradition, the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Luncheon takes place on the day before the game, Wednesday, December 18th. Team spirit and college football pageantry will be on full display as both university bands perform, head coaches speak, and 2024 keynote speaker Ed Reed addresses student athletes and attendees. Help us celebrate the college football and the Bowl Season alongside participating teams.

Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019, Super Bowl 47 Champion safety, Ed Reed was a two-time All-American college football star for the University of Miami, where he won a National Championship before being drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft. Ed played 12 NFL seasons, 11 with the Ravens accumulating many accolades including: Defensive Player of the Year in 2004, nine-time Pro Bowler, and eight-time All-Pro. Ed is also a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame, the New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame, The University of Miami Hall of Fame and the Florida Sports Hall of Fame. 

Ed holds the NFL record for the two longest interception returns for a Touchdown and the all-time record for interception return yards.  He is considered one of the best to ever play, and certainly, one of the best safeties in the history of the sport, named to the NFL 100 All Time team.

Over the last 21 years, Ed has given back to Baltimore City & the greater New Orleans area through the Ed Reed Foundation, in many ways; the R.E.E.D. Program (Respect. Educate. Empower. Dream.) enables deserving children from the Booker T. Washington Middle School and chaperones to attend every Ravens regular season home game and corporate learning outings.  Reed founded the Ed Reed “Eye of the Hurricane” Foundation which provides the needy families of Booker T, The Seed School of MD, and others, full Thanksgiving meals in their home (10,000 fed each year), fitness days, football camps, mentorship, scholarships and holiday gifts among other initiatives.  In 2021 the foundation opened its 2 million dollar public park in Ed’s hometown of St. Rose, Louisiana - Outside of New Orleans.

Ed’s impact off the field boils down to helping change communities by offering opportunities to those that might not have it otherwise.  Children need an opportunity and an outlet and the Ed Reed Foundation aims to provide that thanks to the vision of its Founder.