Beasley Reece

Beasley Reece

No. 82, 28, 43
Position:	Defensive back
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1954-03-18) March 18, 1954
Place of birth:	Waco, Texas
Height:
Weight:
Career information
High school:	Waco
College:	North Texas
NFL draft:	1976 / Round: 9 / Pick: 264
Career history
Dallas Cowboys (1976) New York Giants (1977–1983) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1983–1984)
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics
Games played: 117 Games started: 91 Interceptions: 18 Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Beasley Young Reece, Jr. (born March 18, 1954 in Waco, Texas) is a former American football defensive back who had a nine-year NFL career from 1976 to 1984. He played for the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, after attending college at North Texas State University.

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Reece was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 9th round (264th overall) of the 1976 NFL draft. The team drafted him as an athlete, so he spent his first weeks in training camp as a cornerback, before being switched to wide receiver. Playing against the New Orleans Saints in week 2, he registered his only NFL reception, which went for 6 yards, but also fumbled on the play.

The next year he was moved back to cornerback, before being waived on September 12, 1977.

New York Giants

The New York Giants claimed him off waivers on September 14, 1977, to play as a defensive back. He became the starter at strong safety in 1978, before being switched to free safety in 1981.

In 1983, he asked for his release after rookie Terry Kinard was given the starting free safety position and he was cut on October 17.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers claimed him off waivers on October 18, 1983. Despite playing only half of the season (8 starts), he registered 33 tackles, 5 passes defensed and led the team with 6 interceptions. The next year he started 14 games at free safety, finishing with 70 tackles, 12 passes defensed, one interception and 7 special teams tackles. He was waived on September 2, 1985.

TV Broadcast

After his retirement from playing Reece worked as a color commentator for NFL coverage on NBC and CBS, and served as an analyst for the 1992 Summer Olympics for NBC. During this time, he was the sports director for WVIT (NBC-30) in Hartford, Connecticut. He would also work in at WTOG Tampa Bay. When he came to CBS, he joined KYW-TV in Philadelphia, and became their Sports Director, a position he has had since July 1998. Reece is an Eagle Scout and recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.

Reese and his wife Paula have been married since 1978. They have 2 children. Reese is an avid classical piano player.

Beasley also attended La Vega High School in Waco, Texas and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia [1] inducted Reece into their Hall of Fame in 2012.

On July 1, 2015, Reece was fired from KYW along with evening anchor Chris May and chief meteorologist Kathy Orr as a new general manager decided to take the Eyewitness News program in a different direction.

See also

• List of NFL on NBC commentator pairings

References

Information was obtained in a 1983 visit to RCC Sports Academy, Suffern, NY.

External links

• Beasley Reece, So many stories to tell