Ravens Legend Named Top 100 Athlete of Century

Ed Reed was an icon of the Baltimore Ravens' defense for over a decade.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed (20) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports / Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

When one thinks of the most iconic players in Baltimore Ravens history, legendary safety Ed Reed will be one of the first to come to mind.

A 2002 first-round pick out of Miami, Reed patrolled the back end of the Ravens' defense for over a decade, earning nine Pro Bowl appearances and five first-team All-Pro selections along the way. He's widely considered to be one of the greatest safeties to ever play, and holds the record for most interception return yards (1,590) and longest interception return (107).

Few players struck fear into opposing quarterbacks quite like Reed, and even a decade after his retirement, he's still revered to this day.

The latest sign of respect for Reed came on ESPN's list of the top 100 professional athletes of the 21st Century, which saw the Ravens legend come in at No. 99.

"Reed was the ultimate defensive game changer of his generation. In 2004, he set an NFL record by returning an interception 106 yards for a touchdown against the Browns. Four years later, he broke his own record with a 107-yarder against the Eagles. Reed is the only player in NFL history to score touchdowns off a punt return, blocked punt, interception and fumble recovery," ESPN's Jamison Hensley writes.

Baltimore's defense was consistently one of the best in the league throughout Reed's career, with him and linebacker Ray Lewis being the cornerstones of said defense. The Ravens have had some incredible defenses in the years since their departure in 2012, but none have even come close to how iconic that defense was. It helps that they left on the highest note possible, helping the Ravens win their second Super Bowl in franchise history in their final game with the team.

ESPN only released No. 100-76 on this list, so it's very plausible that more Ravens will appear later down the line.

Make sure you bookmark Ravens Country for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Ravens' Lamar Jackson Climbs Up QB Rankings
• Jacoby Jones: Ravens Legend On and Off Field
• Ravens Release Statement After Super Bowl Hero's Tragic Death
• Lamar Jackson, J.J. Watt React to Ravens Star's Tragic Death
• Ravens Super Bowl Hero Passes Away at 40