Justin Reid
A hard-hitting NFL safety known for his football IQ and versatility, transitioning from a Stanford scholar to a defensive leader.
Born 1997 (age 29)·American football player·Birthday: February 15·Generation Z
Biography
Justin Reid arrived in the NFL with the pedigree of a Stanford graduate and the physicality of a defensive enforcer. The younger brother of former NFL Pro Bowl safety Eric Reid, Justin carved his own path at Stanford, where he was a three-year starter and an Academic All-American. Drafted by the Houston Texans in 2018, he made an immediate impact, starting all 16 games as a rookie and showcasing a rare combination of big-play ability—interceptions, forced fumbles—and sure tackling. After four seasons in Houston, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, where his role expanded to include defensive signal-calling and special teams contributions, culminating in a Super Bowl LVII victory. Reid's game is defined by preparation, communication, and a willingness to deliver punishing hits over the middle.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Justin was born in 1997, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Justin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1997
#1 Movie
Titanic
Best Picture
Titanic
#1 TV Show
ER
Justin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1997Born
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2002Started school
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2010Became a teenager
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2013Could drive
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2015Could vote
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2018Turned 21
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 29 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won Super Bowl LVII as a starting safety and key contributor for the Kansas City Chiefs.
- Started all 16 games in his rookie season with the Houston Texans, recording 3 interceptions and 10 passes defended.
- Named a First-team Academic All-American in 2017 while playing football at Stanford University.
Did You Know?
He scored a 4.0 GPA in high school and was a standout student studying psychology at Stanford.
He is fluent in French, which he learned from his mother who is a French teacher.
He and his brother, Eric Reid, are one of few pairs of brothers to both be drafted as NFL defensive backs.
He recorded an interception in his very first NFL preseason game.
“You have to be a student of the game, on the field and in the film room.”
