In the lead-up to Super Bowl LX, NFL star Justin Reid, currently a safety for the New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at Radio Row, located at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. This event brought together the league”s elite players for media engagements and discussions surrounding the Super Bowl.
Reid, who played for Stanford University”s football team from 2015 to 2017, expressed his emotions about returning to the Bay Area. “I feel like I”m right back in my backyard,” he remarked, highlighting the familiarity and warmth he felt during his visit.
While in town, Reid intended to reconnect with former professors and revisit the campus. He acknowledged that the relationships forged at Stanford have remained significant long after his graduation. “It”s such a special place. It”s different than anywhere else in the world,” he stated. “The people you meet, the connections you make, networking, it”s unbelievable.”
When reminiscing about his time at Stanford, Reid did not cite a particular game as his favorite memory. Instead, he reflected on the everyday experiences that shaped his college life. “The best memories aren”t anything that”s necessarily on the football field,” he noted. “It”s the locker room. It”s the dormitories.”
Reid lived in Ujamaa House and admitted that he initially struggled with the idea of dorm life. “I thought I would hate being in the dormitory,” he confessed. “I did not like it the first month. But then after that, you start to actually like it. You get to know all the people down the hall.”
What began as a challenge evolved into personal growth for Reid. “You talk to people you would have never otherwise talked to and connect with them,” he explained. “You learn how to get along with anybody. That turns into real skills in the real world.”
When asked about his favorite course, Reid pointed to CS106A, showcasing the importance of academics during his time at Stanford. Even amid the spotlight of Super Bowl week, his reflections were centered on community and connections, emphasizing that for many Stanford alumni in the NFL, the experiences on The Farm remain foundational long after they leave the field.
