Pitt All-American running back Desmond Reid says he'll return for 2025 season
On the day he was named an Associated Press All-American, running back Desmond Reid announced Monday via Instagram and X that he is returning to Pitt for the 2025 season.
Let’s run it???? pic.twitter.com/ppfrGEGw5Z
— Desmond Reid (@fastboidez) December 16, 2024
The news was not unexpected but qualifies as a significant offseason development and a victory for Pitt’s NIL collective, Alliance 412. In the current era of college sports, athletes have more choices than ever before and it’s not easy for schools to retain their best players.
After playing two seasons of college football — the first two at FCS Western Carolina — Reid had legitimate alternatives this offseason in the 2025 NFL Draft or the NCAA transfer portal. If he had chosen the portal, Reid would have received plenty of interest because of the game-breaking ability he displayed during the 2024 season.
In 10 games (he missed two for injury), Reid amassed 1,509 yards — 31% of Pitt’s total — with 797 rushing, 564 receiving and 148 in punt returns. He had scoring plays of 78 (punt return), 72 and 46 (rushing) and 56 (receiving) and caught 11 passes for 155 yards in a victory against North Carolina.
Reid joined teammate Kyle Louis, a playmaking outside linebacker, on the AP All-American team as second-team selections. The team was released Monday.
Reid was chosen in the all-purpose category. Both players were named to the All-ACC first team.
Several other Pitt players have announced their plans to return to the team next year, including offensive linemen Lyndon Cooper, Ryan Baer and B.J. Williams; tight ends Jake Overman and Malachi Thomas; defensive tackles Nick James, Sean FitzSimmons and Jahsear Whittington; defensive end Jimmy Scott; and cornerback Rashad Battle.
It is unclear if Reid will play in the GameAbove Sports bowl game Dec. 26. He missed the last game of the regular season — a loss at Boston College — with an injury. Pitt already will be without three of its most productive wide receivers for that game. Konata Mumpfield has declared for the NFL Draft, C.J. Lee is out with a season-ending injury and Daejon Reynolds has entered the transfer portal.
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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