The NFL has not come easy for Jeremy Reaves.
Reaves will turn age 26 next week (August 29) and he has already suffered hurts and losses in life.
The safety who played his college ball at South Alabama was undrafted, signed and released by the Eagles and then signed and released by Washington five times.
But even more, he has already lost his mother. Last season when struggling because he was again cut and then placed on the practice squad, Reaves publicly stated his mother had taught him that when things get tough in life you don’t quit.
The NFL veteran of 25 games appeared with the media Wednesday.
Reaves spoke of how he believes the offseason OTA’s really benefited him. “I came out there, and it just felt right. You know, everything kind of felt good. Honestly, I felt my mom out there with me the most and so, that’s kind of what really made me just feel that confidence and that comfort.”
“You know, my mom was my biggest fan. She was always in my corner. She supported me through everything, and I know that she still supported me now. I was explaining this the other day, out there is when I feel her the most, you know, and I feel her with me the most.”
Asked what he felt was the difference in the secondary compared to a year ago, Reaves responded, “Now you got corners communicating like safeties and safeties communicating like corners, so everybody’s talking. Not necessarily that we didn’t have that last year, but we didn’t have it as much. It’s just guys understanding what they need to be, what they’re getting concept-wise, communicating what they see, and then there’s playing fast at the end of the day. That’s it.”
Love this play by Jeremy Reaves!💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/5Aiq6HwIsK
— Mark Tyler(Hogs Haven) (@Tiller56) August 21, 2022
He spent the most time talking about his mom, saying it was therapeutic to keep playing football after his mom’s death:
“Yeah, it was. It was probably the best thing for me, honestly, you know, everybody was like, you need to take time. You need to. Coach was like if you need time, give you time.”
“I went home for the funeral. It was tough because it was Thanksgiving. I mean everybody’s family time and, you know, that’s something nothing in life really prepares you for. I needed something to keep me going and I know my mom would’ve wanted me to keep going. Just put my best foot forward every day. Trying to honor her the best way I can and that was really kind of how I got through it.”
“I still have my days, you know, some days where I cry, I laugh, I think of things, but I always know that she’s with me. So, I’ve taken that and applied that to everything in life. These guys, this building, the staff, my teammates, I mean, without them, I don’t know what last year would’ve been like for me, honestly. They were fundamental of me getting through that. It was the most support that I’ve ever received in my life.”
“Being away from home, being away from all my family, and just being here, these are the people you have, and so they all loved on me. They all gave me their love and their warmth. Jason Wright did. Coach Rivera did. Coach Del Rio. Everybody reached out just saying that they were there for me and if I needed somebody to talk to, they were there, and that’s big because in this profession it could just be work and no relationship.”
“Well, that’s not the case here.”
