MVN: Most Valuable Network

Pittsburgh Steelers' kicker and special teams captain Jeff Reed is one of nine finalists in this season's NFL 'Super Ad: Believe in Now" campaign.

NFL Films filmed 210 players from around the league during training camp prior to this season and were asked to tell the story of their most memorable moment in the NFL.  The NFL then selected six players from each division to post to NFL.com.  The top videos from each division were selected by a fan vote, as well as one wild card, for the finals.

Reed's video focuses on his NFL try-out, or more specifically, how Reed didn't bring any spare clothes in his attempt to make the team.  He assumed that the try-out was just another formality for the Steelers, who hadn't been in contact with him at all until the call to show up and make some kicks midway through the 2002 season.  It's not like any of his other tryouts had panned out.

Reed had spent the training camp of the 2002 season on the 'kicker's carousel.'  He spent his early preseason with the New Orleans Saints, and did fairly well, before getting cut.  The New York Giants then called Reed in, and he had one of his poorest performances at Giant Stadium, barely making any kicks in a 30 MPH crosswind. 

He nearly gave up kicking at that point.  You know the cliche'd story.  Reed was a primarily a soccer player who really only got a look at a kicking job for UNC because he had made a 54-yarder as a senior in high school.  The only reason he was at UNC to begin with was because he wanted to walk-on their nationally ranked soccer team, which was his first love.  He didn't start at UNC until his junior season, but became a second team All-ACC kicker his senior year. 

After graduating, Reed had nearly run out of money while living with his girlfriend in a Chapel Hill apartment.  To make ends meet between tryouts, he took a $10 an hour job on a friends farm, helping mow lawns and other menial chores.  This later prompted Myron Cope to nickname Reed, "Hayseed Reed." 

Of course, as the 'kicker's carousel' goes, so do the phone calls.  The Seattle Seahawks called a couple of days after the Giants' miserable tryout, and Reed rebounded with a fantastic audition.  It was so fantastic, the Seahawks actually gave him two tryouts.  No, he didn't make the team, but Seattle told him to stay by his phone in case kicker Rian Lindell didn't pan out.  Lindell had a horrid 2001 season, and although he seemed to be rebounding, you just never know in the land of kicking.  Reed would have unsuccessful tryouts for Tampa Bay, Detroit and Jacksonville before he received a phone call from Steelers' director of football operations Kevin Colbert.

The Steelers also found themselves in the middle of a kicking conundrum.  The Steelers had allowed kicker Kris Brown to move to the Houston Texans during the previous offseason after the Texans had signed him to an offer sheet.  This wasn't exactly a let down for the Steelers, who had to put up with Browns horrific kicking the year before (under 70%, and a horrid 5 for 16 from 40-49 yards).  The Steelers answer to Brown was nine-year veteran Todd Peterson.

Pittsburgh called Reed in mid-November after Peterson found himself in the midst of a horrific season that had culminated in two early November games.  Against Atlanta on November 10, Peterson had missed an extra point and two field goals in a game that ultimately ended in a 34-34 tie.   The following week, Peterson followed that up with two more misses in a 31-23 loss to Tennessee.  You know, he had a broken rib.  He was a horrible 12 for 21 in his ten games as a Steeler.  Granted, Peterson had 'broken his rib' in a loss to Tennessee on November 17, although there was speculation that his broken rib was a magical way for the Steelers to send off the nine-year veteran without hurting Peterson's image in his hunt for another job after the offseason.  The Steelers placed him on IR so he could collect a check, and began the hunt for another kicker.

Bill Cowher and Kevin Colbert brought in four kickers, including Reed, Michael Husted, Dan Boyd and Joe O'Donnell.  All four kickers were asked to kick 10 from the open end of Heinz Field, in adverse conditions.  Reed responded by making 7 of 10, including a 50+ yarder.  The only problem was that the other kickers seemingly performed just as well.  Reed figured he'd be on the earliest flight back to Chapel Hill.

Fortunate for Reed, Colbert and Cowher liked what they saw.  Unfortunately for Reed, he didn't have any other clothes to wear.  It was Tuesday, with the next game on Sunday, which prompted Reed to ask probably the dumbest question up to that point in his life.  According to Reed,

"I was excited and I told them I didn't bring extra clothes or a tooth brush or anything so I asked if I could fly home that night and be back first thing in the morning for practice. Kevin looked at me and said well if you don't kick good on Sunday, you can stay home."

Rookies...

Other videos include Kurt Warner's worn out tale of playing in the Super Bowl after only one year of college ball, followed by a stint as a grocery store clerk and an Arena Football quarterback.

New Orleans safety Usama Young discusses his journey from a concession salesman at RFK stadium when he was only 14-years old, to his second game of the preseason in which he was a player on the field.

Jacksonville's long snapper, Joe Zelenka tells the story of how he had written a journal for a local newspaper in which he sarcastically discussed his 'fan club,' which of course was an absolute lie.  After a few weeks of doing this, you guessed it, a Joe Zelenka fan club popped up.  He now has a website and his own fan club card.  Gee, I wonder how he made it into the finals?

Then there is a true hayseed, wide receiver Jordy Nelson of the Green Bay Packers.  He grew up on a farm in rural Kansas working in the hay fields, and in his video, talks about making it all the way to a Monday Night game against division rival Minnesota.

According to NFL.com, Zelenka, Nelson, Young and Reed are the top four vote getters so far.

Click Here to vote for Jeff Reed as this year's NFL Super Ad.

You are allowed to vote through tomorrow, January 4th.