The ones from outside were not inconsiderable.
When he was with the Cardinals, Reddick swung wildly from miscast to effective-yet-underappreciated. When you're a first-round pick that came to the team when fans had their hearts set on a quarterback, they're hard labels to shake. But as he has so often in his football life, he pushed through.
"I knew I just needed the opportunity to get back to what I do best," Reddick said. "I always bet on myself."
That's what he did this season, by signing a one-year deal with the Panthers, a team that was going to use him the way he's best used. His 8.5 sacks and 12 tackles for a loss through nine games suggest it was a good decision. But getting back with his college coaches (who watched him go from walk-on to star), was just part of the process.
For Reddick, it was about believing that his particular set of skills could make him one of the best, even if it took others too long to realize them.
After a standout career at Temple, which included 10.5 sacks his senior year playing for head coach Matt Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow, Reddick began to get lost.
When you show up at the Scouting Combine at 6-foot-1 and 237 pounds, and run a 4.52-second 40 with an 11-foot, 1-inch broad jump, the numbers don't scream pass-rusher. He was linebacker-sized, so people thought that was what he was going to be.
"Yeah, because of his physical attributes," Panthers run game coordinator Al Holcomb said. "His size, his speed, his ability to cover, and play in space. When you looked at him at the Senior Bowl and Combine, and you think wow, he's an ideal inside 'backer in the NFL.
"Very, very, very, good skill set for the position, better than most."
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November 14, 2021 at 03:04AM
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Haason Reddick struggled through challenging years in Arizona, now returns in a better place - Panthers.com
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