Former Michigan State receiver Jayden Reed had an electrifying season opener with the Green Bay Packers in a losing effort.
If you’re anything like me, it pains you to see Jayden Reed in a Green Bay Packers uniform.
As a lifelong Detroit Lions fan, seeing one of the most beloved Spartan receivers of all time in a Packers jersey is just a stab in the heart. It makes me question everything. How can an athlete who has been so beloved in East Lansing cause so much pain for those same fans?
Reed was picked by the Packers in the 2023 NFL Draft and all he’s done since is live in the end zone. The former Michigan State wideout had a big rookie season, catching 64 passes for 793 yards and eight touchdowns and he rushed for two more scores. Basically, he was electric. No Michigan State fan was surprised by his big rookie campaign because he was an instant star (outside of that 2020 Rutgers game) for the Spartans.
The Spartan receiver has been a major weapon for the Packers and he dominated in his 2024 season opener on Friday night in Brazil.
All Reed did in the 2024 opener on the international stage was catch four passes for 138 yards and a touchdown as well as a 33-yard rushing score. He had over 170 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns and became the second Packer receiver since 1970 with a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game (stat comes from ESPN’s Sportscenter).
And his big plays were electrifying against the Eagles.
Here’s his first score, a 33-yard scamper in the first half:
In the second quarter, Reed scored on a 70-yard touchdown reception where he put a defender on skates before crossing the goal line:
I’m happy to see a good dude like Reed have major success in the NFL, even if it is with the Packers. Oh, and if you started Jayden Reed in fantasy football, it may be time to buy a lottery ticket.