Podcast: Josh Reynolds Is No Longer 'Back-Burner' Guy
Detroit Lions wide receiver Josh Reynolds deep down did not want to be considered a "back-burner" guy.
As a competitor, the talented wideout worked to prove to himself and to others that he could become a reliable, productive NFL wideout.
Back at Texas A&M, Reynolds recorded 64 receptions for 2,788 yards and 30 touchdowns in three seasons collegiately.
This season, the 28-year-old wideout has secured 16 receptions for 291 yards and three touchdowns.
Knowing his teammates and coaching staff rely on him and view his contributions as an asset this season has been validating.
All Lions caught up with Reynolds after practice Wednesday, and discussed the early start to his season.
Reynolds expressed, when asked about his increased role, "It’s been awesome for them to finally start getting me key routes. The main, first-look routes. It’s been nice, and it shows that they have trust in me.”
Reynolds recalls being an explosive player when he played in college, and feels rewarded for how he has prepared this season.
“Like I’m supposed to be here. Ain’t nothing new," Reynolds said. "I go from being at A&M, where I’m a front-burner guy and not the back burner. I know what it feels like to be the guy, so it’s nice to be here again.”
Dan Campbell indicated he informed the veteran wideout just how trustworthy he is as a player.
"He and Goff are in unbelievable sync together. Goff’s got a real good read on what he’s doing by how he runs routes and comes out of them, and he trusts that he’s going to be where he’s supposed to be," said Campbell on 97.1 The Ticket. "He is, right now, you can’t argue it, our most explosive receiver. The proof's in the pudding. He just shows up for us. I told him the other night, ‘You are about as trustworthy a player as we have on this team.’ We trust the hell out of him. And the other thing is, he can line up in every one of the (receiver) positions without having to practice them. I told him it’s a blessing and a curse: sometimes we ask you to do things you hadn’t done, because you’re the guy who can handle all that mentally. To have him is a true asset for us."
For Reynolds, having a larger role validates the patience and hard work he has put in to playing the receiver position.
“It’s everything. As an athlete you try to, it’s kind of one of those things where you grow up as an athlete just trying to get validation from your coaches, teammates and stuff like that," Reynolds said. "To be able to hear and feel that people have got your back -- a lot of my career it’s been that, 'You’re kind of the back-burner guy.' And so now, it’s like, 'You’re an integral part of this offense.' It’s big.”
Don't miss any future episodes of the podcast. Make sure to subscribe to the All Lions podcast, which is available everywhere your favorite podcasts are housed.
