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Jeff Reed's Departure Talk Of The Town

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Many Steelers fans are still digesting the news that kicker Jeff Reed is no longer with the team.

At the North Shore Saloon, the NFL Players Association expressed gratitude to fans with a special tailgate night. It's called the "One Team Tour" and fans had plenty to talk about.

Last week it was all about Max Starks' injury. Now it's all about Reed's departure.

"You know, our business relies, sadly, on performance and I think that's what it came down to," Starks said. "You know, I hate to see that. We have such a good friend, a guy who's been so good over the years – I mean my entire career here."

"First of all, it's sad," Ryan Clark said. "You think about a guy that's been so consistent and so good for us for so many years, but he's also a guy who lifts our spirits in the locker room."

Reed's 15 for 22 performance coupled with his recent rants about the turf and the fans has drawn a lot of criticism.

"He wasn't getting it done this year, but I think they would have cut him some slack if he would have kept his mouth shut," Rebecca Rollett, a fan, said.

"But his performance has been lacking so much this season that it really doesn't justify the contract they gave him much less does it justify to keep him on the team," Kevin Mallon, another fan, added.

Some fans were sad to see Reed leave.

"It's sad that he was released," Dennis Tkazs said. "He was a good vital part. He embodied the Steelers themselves for the most part."

"I think teams don't appreciate their kicker until they have a bad kicker," Kristin Cannon said. "And I think he was really reliable and it's a shame."

Reed spent nine years with the Steelers.

"Wish him well, wherever he goes," Antwaan Randle El said. "I think he's still a great kicker. He'll get picked up. Sometimes it just doesn't work out. Kind of got to roll with the punches and move on."

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