Alvin Reed

Alvin D. Reed (born August 1, 1944) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). The 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 232 lb (105.2 kg) tight end from Prairie View A&M University was signed as a free agent by the AFL's Houston Oilers in 1967. Reed played nine seasons in professional football, from 1967 to 1975.

Early life Reed was born on August 1, 1944, in Kilgore, Texas. He was one of Vesta Mae Loyd's eight children from two marriages. His maternal grandfather Virgil Lacy was the biggest influence in Reed's life, after his mother. The family was extremely poor, and his mother did maid work and took in washing and ironing to feed her family. He did not attend school one year for lack of adequate clothing. Reed attended C. B. Dansby High School in Kilgore, where he was a star lineman on offense and defense for the football team. Dansby was a segregated school, and was originally called Kilgore Colored High School until 1956, ceasing operations after the local high schools integrated in 1970.

Reed also was a leading scorer on the school's basketball team, and a champion member of its track team. In the 1962-63 season, he led Dansby and the district in scoring (18.8 points per game on the season and 18 points per game in district games), and was named to the District 3-AAA All-Star basketball team. In 1961, he was first in the district and the state in the shot put. He also received a science fair award in biology during high school, as well as an award for singing in the high school octet.

College career Reed attended Prairie View A&M University on a football scholarship, and was able to make it through college with those funds and financial help from his grandfather. He studied industrial education, with a major in drafting. His teammates included future American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) All-Pro receiver Otis Taylor and future Hall of Fame defensive back Ken Houston. Their 1963 team reached the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) championship game, losing to St. John's of Minnesota in the Camelia Bowl, 33–27.

In 1964, Reed played end, and also served as the team's placekicker. He was used as an offensive end during that season. Reed became a full time tight end during his junior and senior years, but was seldom a pass receiving target; Otis Taylor being the principal pass receiver. As a senior in 1966, Reed, now a 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 230 lb (104.3 kg) receiver, was named one of Prairie View's three captains.

Professional career

Houston Oilers Reed was not drafted in 1967, and signed as a free agent with the Houston Oilers in March 1967. The Oilers lost the 1967 AFL Championship Game to the Oakland Raiders, 40–7; with Reed catching four passes for 60 yards.

In 1968, Reed started 13 games at tight end, with 46 receptions for 747 yards and five touchdowns. He was eighth in the AFL in receiving yards and ninth in receptions. He was second to Jim Whalen of the Boston Patriots for most receptions by a tight end. He was named first-team All-AFL by The Sporting News and second-team All-AFL by the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI).

Reed was an All-Star again in 1969, the last season before the AFL-NFL merger. The Sporting News again named him first-team All-AFL at tight end, and the AP, UPI and Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), among other entities, named him second-team All-AFL. He started all 14 games, with a career-high 51 receptions for 664 yards and two touchdowns. and led all AFL tight ends in receptions.

In 1970, Reed started 13 games for the Oilers, with 47 receptions for 604 yards and two touchdowns. His 47 receptions were tied for 10th best in the NFL. In 1971, he started 10 games and had 25 receptions; and in 1972, Reed started all 14 Oilers' games, with 19 receptions.

As an Oiler (1967–72), Reed had 199 receptions for 2,818 (14.2 yards per reception), and 11 receiving touchdowns. On May 15, 1972, Oilers general manager Sid Gillman traded Houston to the Washington Redskins and coach George Allen for five players and a draft choice. Two weeks later Gillman and Allen engineered a trade sending Reed to Washington for a draft pick. Reed and Houston would play three more years together in Washington (1973 to 1975). He played two more seasons for Washington (1974-75), but did not start any games. Reed had four receptions and one touchdown catch in 1974, and two receptions in 1975, both for touchdowns. Washington released him in late August 1976.

NFL/AFL career statistics Legend Led the league Bold Career high

Regular season Year Team Games Receiving GP GS Rec Yds Avg Lng TD 1967 HOU 14 8 11 144 13.1 20 1 1968 HOU 14 13 46 747 16.2 60 5 1969 HOU 14 14 51 664 13.0 43 2 1970 HOU 13 13 47 604 12.9 34 2 1971 HOU 14 10 25 408 16.3 36 1 1972 HOU 14 14 19 251 13.2 29 0 1973 WAS 5 5 9 124 13.8 34 0 1974 WAS 14 0 4 36 9.0 11 1 1975 WAS 14 0 2 5 2.5 4 2 116 77 214 2,983 13.9 60 14

Playoffs Year Team Games Receiving GP GS Rec Yds Avg Lng TD 1967 HOU 1 1 4 60 15.0 25 0 1969 HOU 1 1 7 81 11.6 18 1 1974 WAS 1 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 3 2 11 141 12.8 25 1

Honors In 1992, Reed was inducted into the Prairie View A&M University Sports Hall of Fame. In 1999, he was inducted into the Southwest Athletic Conference Hall of Fame.

Personal life During his time in Houston, Reed worked in the offseason for the Houston Skill Center, as a job training evaluator for those being trained in job skills. This included performing work for NASA.