The 65 miles between Justin Reid's birth city (Prairieville, La.) and his new work city (New Orleans) might as well not exist.
The seven-year safety, an unrestricted free agent who agreed to terms on a three-year contract with Saints, understands exactly what it means to be a Louisiana kid playing in the NFL for the home state team.
"You grew up watching the Saints," Reid said Friday, during his introductory news conference. "Everyone remembers (when the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV in) 2009, what that did for the entire state of Louisiana. I've got friends that have entire rooms enshrined to that moment.
"So every kid in Louisiana dreams about playing for the Saints. As you go through this journey, you don't know if it's going to happen or not, but I had an opportunity to make that dream come true.
"I know what it means to this city to play for the Saints, and what having a winning organization means for everyone in Louisiana. And that's extremely motivating.
"Like, do everything we can to bring back that winning culture, because we have the talent. We have so much talent on this team and it's all just putting it together the right way, and guys believing in the system. And I believe."
That belief swings both ways, as New Orleans was able to lure in one of the top unrestricted free agents on the market.
Reid helped Kansas City win Super Bowls LVII and LVIII, and to advance to Super Bowl LIX in 2024. Last season he started all 16 games he played and led the secondary with 85 tackles, with five tackles for loss, two interceptions and nine pass breakups. In three playoff games he totaled 19 tackles, one tackle for loss and a pass breakup.
Reid will enter his eighth season with 10 interceptions, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 46 passes defensed, 23 tackles for loss, 17 quarterback hits and 580 tackles.
"I was talking to (the family entering free agency) and I was letting them know that, hey, there's a possibility that I could end up signing with the Saints," Reid said. "And then my text message thread with the family chat just started blowing up, like, 'Sign with the Saints, sign with the Saints.'
Get an all-access look at New Orleans Saints free agent safety Justin Reid's first day in New Orleans as he signed his three-year contract with the team on Friday, March 14, 2025.
Christian Verde/New Orleans Saints
