NFL: Pensacola native, Commanders special teamer Jeremy Reaves reacts to making first Pro Bowl

Pensacola Catholic graduate Jeremy Reaves enjoyed an eventful Wednesday to say the least.

It was a day filled with a range of emotions, from happiness and excitement to sadness and shock. And the moment that precipitated all of the emotions is now on the display for the whole world to see.

The Washington Commanders safety and special teamer has been a journeyman throughout his five-year NFL career, having been cut from rosters on four separate occasions. But following Wednesday, he can add an exclusive title to his resume: Pro Bowl starter.

Reaves was selected to the NFL Pro Bowl for the first time in his career, earning his spot as the NFC’s starting special teamer. He will be one of four Commanders headed to play in the league’s annual all-star showcase, along with fellow first-timer Terry McLaurin, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and punter Tress Way.

“You’ve always envisioned that for yourself. I knew that I was a good player and I knew that I could play at the level that I’m playing at,” Reaves said. “But to actually get that role and the (title) ‘Pro Bowler’ behind my name is full circle.”

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The 2023 NFL Pro Bowl is scheduled to played on Feb. 5 from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Reaves learned of his selection by surprise after being called to meet with Washington head coach Ron Rivera. Shortly after the defensive back walked into Rivera’s office, the head coach informed him of the news, saying “Congratulations, you’re the special teams guy.”

The 26-year old immediately was brought to tears.

“You’ve worked so hard in your life to get to a point and you finally get to that cusp after so many ups and downs,” he said. “You go through trials and tribulations, you fall and you get back up, and you fall again. To have that moment, I can’t put it into words, honestly.”

The moment was recorded on video and has since gone viral on social media. As of 6 a.m. Thursday, the clip has eclipsed 166,000 likes on Instagram and 73,000 likes on Twitter.

The undrafted standout from University of South Alabama said he didn’t know why he was asked to see Rivera beforehand. He also was aware that Wednesday was the day Pro Bowlers would be selected, but didn’t know if he actually made it.

Upon hearing the news, Reaves’ first thoughts were about his late mother, Rose, who passed away on Thanksgiving Day last year.

“That’s who I’ve been thinking about all day, honestly; how she always believed in me and told me to just keep going, keep God first and good things would follow and be a good person,” he said. “I’ve tried to model my life after that.”

Reaves’ first move after the meeting was to call his father.

“I was like, ‘Are you standing up or sitting down?’ Reaves recalled with a laugh. “He was like, ‘I’m standing up walking around.’ So I told him, ‘You might want to take a seat.’ … He didn’t believe me at first, but he got emotional because it’s been a roller coaster.

“He cried, I cried. I’ve been crying throughout the day.”

The Commanders star has been flooded with congratulatory messages in the short time since the rosters were announced, but he quickly refocused his attention to the team’s upcoming game.

Currently seeded seventh in the NFC, Washington visits San Francisco at 3:05 p.m. Saturday. The 49ers lead the NFC West with a record of 10-4 while the Commanders are on the postseason bubble at 7-6-1.

“You get right back to it, honestly,” Reaves said. “I’ve been watching film all night. My phone has been going crazy, talking to my family and everybody, but at the same time, I have a job to do. The show doesn’t stop.”

Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached at (850) 503-3828, on Twitter @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com. 

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: NFL: Catholic grad Jeremy Reaves emotional after first Pro Bowl nod