Reeves was born in Rome, Georgia in 1944. He attended the University of South Carolina,
where he played quarterback from 1962-1964. He was inducted into the school's Athletic
Hall of Fame in 1977.
In 1965, Reeves signed as a free agent with the Cowboys. Over eight seasons as an
all-purpose back, Reeves amassed 1,990 rushing yards and 1,693 receiving yards. His
best year came in 1966 when he scored 16 touchdowns, which tied him in the NFL that
season for most touchdowns. Reeves finished his playing career as the Cowboys' fifth
all-time leading rusher. The Cowboys made the playoffs every year of Reeves' playing
career, reaching the Super Bowl twice and winning Super Bowl VI with a 24-3 victory
over the Miami Dolphins.
Reeves' coaching career began when he joined the Dallas coaching staff in 1970, taking
on a dual role as player/coach for three seasons. He was a full-time offensive backfield
coach in 1972 and spent 1973 in private business before rejoining the staff again
as backfield coach in 1974. He accepted the job of offensive coordinator in 1977.
In 1981, Reeves was named head coach of the Denver Broncos. During his 12-year tenure
in Denver, Reeves guided the Broncos to six post-season appearances, including five
divisional titles, three AFC championships and three Super Bowl appearances (Super
Bowl XXI, XXII and XXIV). He was the only AFC coach in the decade of the 1980s to
lead his team to consecutive Super Bowl berths. His overall record in Denver was 110-73-1.
In 1993, Reeves left Denver to become head coach of the New York Giants, where he
served as head coach for four seasons and compiled a 31-33 record. In his first season,
he led the Giants to an 11-5 record and a berth in the playoffs, the best record ever
for a Giants first-year coach. Reeves was named the 1993 Associated Press Coach of
the Year after helping the Giants improve from a 6-10 record the year before.
In 1997, Reeves was named head coach of the Falcons, where he coached for seven seasons
and compiled a record of 49-59-1. After going 7-9 his first season, Reeves led Atlanta
to its greatest season in franchise history and was named NFL Coach of the Year in
1998. That year, the Falcons went 14-2 in route to winning its first NFC Championship
and a berth in Super Bowl XXXIII, where they were defeated by the Broncos, 34-19.
In 23 seasons, Reeves overall coaching record was 190-165-2. After coaching, Reeves
got involved with broadcasting and served as a NFL analyst for Westwood One. He currently
resides in the Atlanta, GA area with his high school sweetheart of 46 years, his wife
Pam. He and Pam have three children - Dana, Lee and Laura - and six grandchildren.
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