The New Orleans Saints took a different approach to one of their Week 3 kickoffs against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Instead of having Daniel Carlson — their kicker — kick the ball down the field, they had Justin Red — a safety — do the task.
It was only on one kickoff on Sunday, but it caught some attention. Where was Carlson? Was he hurt?
And wait, why Reid? What is this?
Well, turns out it was all by design.
And it’s also not the first time Reid has done this.
Why Did Justin Reid Kick Off?
Reid did the kickoff for the Saints because the team wanted to see how it might work.
According to Saints beat writer Nick Underhill, the Saints prepared to try this:
I’m told Daniel Carlson is not hurt. Just something they worked on with Reid
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) September 27, 2026
Beyond pointing out the fact that the Saints had worked on this unusual strategy, it’s worth noting that there’s an obvious reason.
If the guy kicking the ball off is a more sure tackler than your average placekicker, it could potentially make the kick coverage unit more effective at limiting returns.
The placekicker normally stays mostly out of the way and occasionally makes a last-ditch effort at a tackle if the returner gets by everyone else.
Reid is a true NFL safety. He made it to the league playing defensive back, with no thoughts of kicking.
This just happens to be a strategy he’s gotten wrangled into in recent years, and now the Saints decided to check it out, too.
Justin Reid Kickoff History
Reid has kicked off in two different seasons prior to this one.
The oft-innovative Kansas City Chiefs were the first team to look into this with Reid, and they had him do it in both 2022 and 2024.
In the 2022 season, Reid had seven kickoffs for 445 yards. Five of them were touchbacks.
In 2024, Reid kicked off nine times for 556 yards, but just one touchback.
He clearly has a pretty strong leg, if not quite as strong as an NFL-level placekicker.
Things are more complicated with the Saints than they were during Reid’s time in Kansas City, because the new kickoff rules came into effect in 2025. There’s now a landing zone that the ball has to fall between. If Reid proved to be less accurate than an average placekicker, it could prove costly with penalties for not being in the landing zone.
Reid’s kickoff on Sunday went 60 yards, for what it’s worth — a decent enough distance in the current setup.
This is a chance for Reid to give himself added value, and it’s a chance for the Saints to try something new and have some additional roster versatility.
There’s no telling at the moment whether it’ll stick, but it’s an intriguing thing for them to try.
Why Saints Safety Justin Reid Kicked Off Over Daniel Carlson Vs. Raiders