Tight end Jordan Reed has emerged as one of the Washington Redskins' most reliable weapons the last three seasons, ever since he was drafted out of Florida in the third round in 2013.

When did you know that you had the type of talent to play in the NFL?
"I knew that I could make it to the NFL when I was a youngster. I always had a feeling in my heart that someday, I knew I wanted to go to the NFL and I knew I had a chance to."

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What else appealed besides to you as a young man besides sports?**
"I like the armed forces, people that protect our country. I always have a lot of respect for those people and I always admired them a lot. I look up to them. That's something that I was considering."

You mean to join the military?
"If I didn't make it to the pros or have the potential to go to the university and things like that, it was maybe something I would have did."

Who guided you in the right direction as a young man?
"Definitely had to be my big brother. David Reed. He was like four years older than me. He played football when I wasn't playing. My mom didn't want me playing Pop Warner. I was playing baseball and he was playing football. When I got to high school, he was a star football player. We got to play one year together. I just admire his ability. He actually made it to the NFL, too. He's a great player."

How has your life changed since entering the NFL when dealing with friends and family?
"Hasn't changed a bit. Everybody knows who I am. I still carry myself and act the same way. A lot of love throughout my family and my friends. We just care about each other and we always got each other's back."

Are you nervous to keep playing with the concussion problems?
"It's not nerve-wracking. I just trust in god and I just have faith that If I wasn't supposed to be playing this game anymore then for some reason, somehow, someway — I wouldn't be doing it. The fact that I am still doing it shows me that I am in a spot that I am supposed to be."

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What were you feeling right after catching the game-winning touchdown pass against Tampa Bay?**
"When it first happened, I wasn't feeling nothing. I was just thinking, I caught the rock and it was a normal play and then when I got back to the sideline, and I realized everything that was going on and the magnitude of the play, it hit me. I was thankful to God for being able to do that after missing those two games and to come back strong like that. It was a great feeling and a lot of appreciation to god."

What is your impact on this offense for others?
"I think I bring matchup problems to the offense, which makes other guys have — maybe they have to bring a safety on me, instead of a linebacker, that frees up some space over the top for the fast guys to blow the top off the coverage and things like that. I think it's a bind for the defense when they really know it's hard to put a linebacker on me to cover me and they have to bring a safety down in the box to cover me and that's when it will open up the top."

What's the best thing about being a dad?
"The best thing about being a dad is when I get home, I see my baby girl smiling no matter what. I'm having a rough day, I got a concussion two weeks, no matter what, just coming home and seeing my beautiful daughter's face."

Have you imagined what it will be like when she says, 'I love you, Daddy?'
"Right now, she's saying 'Dada.' Already, once I hear her say that and she is barely getting that out, it touches my heart. I can only imagine when she says I love you or something like that, I know it's going to be an emotional time."

How has life changed since having your daughter?
"Being an NFL player and being a father, you have to hold yourself to a higher standard. You can't do what everybody else does. It's going to be seen and people look up to us. For my little girl, I want to show her the right way and to be respectful and things like that. Carry yourself right. Me being in the NFL, it makes people put an emphasis on how you are a hard worker. Just being here today and being in this situation, I feel like I have to be this for God and for my daughter."

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