Ryan, now the New York Jets' coach, witnessed firsthand Reed's play as a ball-hawking safety during his seven-year run as a Baltimore Ravens assistant.
It seems as though absence has made the heart grow fonder for Ryan, who had some lofty praise for Reed leading up to the Jets' Sunday night showdown in Baltimore.
"A first-ballot Hall of Famer, in my opinion," Ryan told the New York Post this week. "The best safety that's ever played."
Reed might be getting up there in years, but the 33-year-old still strikes fear in the hearts of quarterbacks. Just ask Jets signal-caller Mark Sanchez.
"I wish I had another set of eyes," Sanchez said. "He's one of those guys who's that good. He's so smart and savvy in the back end there. He just kind of plays center field. Sure, he plays his scheme and knows his assignment, but at the same time, he has a real good feel for things."
