Corner D.J. Reed brings quirky eating regimen, shutdown skills to Jets

The Jets can solely hope new cornerback D.J. Reed views opposing receivers with as a lot disdain as he has for French toast.

Yep, French toast.

Reed met with the media after an organized group exercise this week and was requested a couple of stance he has taken on social media opposing the favored breakfast meals.

“French toast just doesn’t appeal to me,” Reed stated in an entertaining session with reporters. “When I go to a breakfast spot, I’m either going to get waffles or pancakes. If I have a cheat day, I never say, ‘Oh, that French toast looks good.’ My girl gets French toast, and I would literally see it and it looks like thick bread with butter on it. It just doesn’t appeal to me. I won’t even try it.”

That’s not Reed’s solely peculiar meals take. He didn’t eat hen or steak for practically 4 years.

“That actually started in college,” Reed stated. “With my mindset, I tried to see how I could like run faster, for my 40-yard dash. I actually went vegan for like four months. I did that and it was cool, but it was a struggle once I lost my chef after the process. Then, I started just eating fish. I actually did that for like three, four years. I didn’t eat steak, chicken, just straight pescatarian. I did that and it was cool.”

But Reed saved getting minor accidents. One day final year the personal chef for Russell Wilson, his Seattle teammate, advised him that his physique was breaking down as a result of he wanted extra meat. So, he introduced again hen and steak, and stayed wholesome … and pleased.

“When I ate chicken and I ate steak, I was like, I don’t know how the hell I [went without] for four years,” Reed stated. “I love my diet now.”

The Jets gave Reed a three-year, $33 million contract not for his dietary preferences, however for his potential to shut down opposing receivers. Reed had a breakout season with the Seahawks final year in his fourth NFL season. He is now reunited with Jets head coach Robert Saleh, who was his defensive coordinator with the 49ers in 2018 and 2019.

Saleh stated Reed’s effort stands out.

“You can almost hear him grunting on tape and the volume is on mute,” Saleh stated, “with how hard he plays and how hard he’s getting in-and-out of his breaks and how important every single rep is to him. You see him in meetings, just the laser focus, there’s no dozing off, there’s no slouching. He is completely locked in. You see all of that, and at the same time, he’s not a robot, he is an unbelievable person and willing to talk to guys and bring guys along. So, he has been awesome. Really excited that we have him.”

Reed stated he believes the revamped secondary can “dominate,” and he additionally stated he doesn’t consider a visit to the Super Bowl is farfetched.

Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich believes Reed will likely be a pacesetter on his protection. Ulbrich stated Reed is “a dog.”

“He’s overcome a lot to be where he’s at today, and he will only get better,” Ulbrich stated. “I don’t think this league has seen what he can become. So, super excited about him. He’s a guy that drives that room. A lot of times corners are, just by nature because they’re out on these islands, sometimes they’re not the most inclusive teammates, if that makes sense and they can be a little bit of a loner because of the life they live on that island. He’s not that way at all, he’s a guy that’s constantly challenging the group, constantly bringing guys along, brings energy, brings passion and he will make everyone better. Not just the corners, he’s going to make our entire team better in that way.”