Houston Texans: Safety Justin Reid lives out dream as NFL kicker
Justin Reid had an unconventional dream for an NFL safety. Still, that didn’t stop it from coming true in yesterday’s preseason game between the Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Last night, Reid finally got a chance to kick in a professional football game.
“I had the time of my life,” Reid said. “I’ve been looking forward to this moment for so long. I can’t tell you how excited I was when the coaches said, ‘You’re up this game.’ And I was like, ‘Really, I get one?’ They said, ‘No, you’re up the whole game.’ So I was so excited to be out there. It was a dream come true.”
While Reid wasn’t able to kick a field goal or extra point, he was the kicker on each kickoff. Furthermore, the Texans safety kicked the football 64 yards to the Tampa Bay 1 on the opening kickoff, where the ball was returned to the 16.
Moreover, Reid got his chance when Houston’s usual kicker, Ka’imi Fairbairn, pulled a muscle in warmups. However, there’s good news on both fronts – Fairbairn’s injury isn’t serious, and Reid was able to live out one of his dreams.
“I was ready the whole game.”
While he didn’t get a chance to kick a field goal, Reid was ready the entire time. Everytime the offense was in the red zone, the safety’s exuberance shined through on the sidelines.
“I was ready the whole game,” Reid said. “I don’t know if you [caught] me on the sideline. I had my helmet strapped every time we were down there to see if I would get to go out there.”
Continuing, playing kicker at the professional level wasn’t just some crazy pipe dream for Reid. While he’s predominantly focused on the defensive side of the ball, he’s played the position since high school.
In high school, Reid kicked and played safety. Then, in college at Stanford, he was the emergency kicker for the Cardinal, and has been the emergency kicker for the Texans as well.
Reid’s admiration for kicking evokes memories of other position players who had the same passion, like Chad Ochocinco of the Cincinnati Bengals. Who could forget the wide receiver kicking a perfect extra point through the uprights in a 2009 preseason game?
“Dreams do come true.”
Following the game, Reid took to Twitter to describe the emotions he felt following accomplishing a dream.
“FINALLY GOT TO DO IT!” tweeted Reid. “No lie, this is the most fun I’ve ever had in a preseason game. Will remember this forever.
“Dreams do come true. I’m ready for FGs next time.”
While Fairbairn may be one of the league’s best when it comes to kicking field goals, it’s hard not to want to see more of Justin Reid as a kicker in 2021.