Washington Commanders Safety Jeremy Reaves 'Starving' To Get Back on the Field

Jeremy Reaves has earned everything through adversity with the Washington Commanders, and now he's looking to clear yet another hurdle.

Nov 14, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves (39) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

There's one thing for certain about Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves, and that's that nobody can claim anything he's ever gotten in the NFL was given and unearned.

Through five years of work, grinding effort, and better than expected play the undrafted free agent went from being a player on the peripheral to a Commanders team captain in 2023. Then, after only five games in his first season as a captain, he had his season stolen by injury.

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The diagnosis was partially torn ACL, but the surgery was season-ending all the same, and just like that Washington was down a leader and emotional spark plug that became a special teams First-Team All-Pro just one season earlier.

His re-signing this offseason on a new two-year deal was a moment of celebration for those who have watched him earn his status as a fan favorite, and an opportunity for Reaves to pick up where he left off once he is fully cleared to return to the field.

Nov 14, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves (39) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

“I’m hungry, I wouldn’t say hungry, I’m starving actually. And I’m just anxious,” Reaves told ABC7's Natalie Spala after OTA practice on Wednesday. “I’ve been away from football since October, and it’s been itching at me. And I've been spending every day of rehab and (physical therapy), I've just been thinking about the next time I get the chance to go play."

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Coming back from this injury is just the latest adversity Reaves has had to face, but he's determined that it's not going to be the one that keeps him down. As he says, he lives with the attitude that you get up one more time than anything or anyone knocks you down.

“Adversity builds character,” Reaves continued. “I firmly believe that. I firmly believe that everything that happens to you builds you to be who you’re supposed to be.”

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