Garrett Reid was the eldest son of NFL coach Andy Reid and his wife, Tammy Reid. He grew up around professional football, later worked with the Philadelphia Eagles’ strength and conditioning staff, and died at age 29 during the team’s 2012 training camp. His family also remembered his humor, friendships, and interest in athletics.
Garrett William Reid (April 13, 1983–August 5, 2012) was the eldest son of NFL coach Andy Reid and Tammy Reid. He worked with the Philadelphia Eagles’ strength and conditioning staff and died at 29 during training camp at Lehigh University. A coroner ruled his heroin overdose accidental.
Garrett Reid Quick Bio
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Garrett William Reid |
| Known For | Eldest son of NFL coach Andy Reid |
| Date of Birth | April 13, 1983 |
| Birthplace | Provo, Utah, United States |
| Date of Death | August 5, 2012 |
| Age at Death | 29 years |
| Place of Death | Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania |
| Father | Andy Reid |
| Mother | Tammy Reid |
| Siblings | Britt Reid, Spencer Reid, Crosby Reid, Drew Ann Reid |
| Education | Harriton High School; Montgomery County Community College |
| Professional Background | Football and strength and conditioning assistance |
| Cause of Death | Accidental heroin overdose |
Who Was Garrett Reid?
Born Garrett William Reid on April 13, 1983, in Provo, Utah, he was the oldest of Andy and Tammy Reid’s five children. His life was closely tied to the Philadelphia Eagles, where Andy coached from 1999 through 2012.
The family’s obituary, published by The Philadelphia Inquirer, identified Garrett’s siblings as Britt, Spencer, Crosby, and Drew Ann. It also described him as someone who valued humor, friendship, and family relationships. Those recollections offer a fuller picture than reporting about his legal difficulties and death.
His football involvement included college athletics and work around the Eagles’ training program, alongside plans for further study.
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Early Life, Education, and Family Background
Garrett’s childhood followed his father’s changing coaching career. After his birth in Utah, he spent formative years in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the Philadelphia area. Andy became the Eagles’ head coach in 1999, when Garrett was a teenager.
He attended Harriton High School in Pennsylvania and graduated from Montgomery County Community College, according to the family’s published obituary. That account also records that Garrett earned the rank of Eagle Scout, an achievement his relatives specifically wanted remembered.
Football was part of his own experience, not simply his family’s profession. Reporting by the Los Angeles Times identified him as an offensive tackle who spent part of the 2003 season with Glendale Community College in California. His playing experience preceded his interest in conditioning.
The Reid household included three sons and two daughters. Garrett’s brothers were Britt and Spencer, and his sisters were Crosby and Drew Ann. The Eagles named them in its original announcement of his death.
His Work With the Philadelphia Eagles
By 2012, Garrett had become involved with the Eagles’ strength and conditioning operation. He assisted coaches during offseason activities and training camp, including the sessions held at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Contemporary reporting described the arrangement as an assistant role rather than an established NFL coaching appointment.
His family said he enjoyed helping others improve their conditioning and intended to study sports management later that year. His death prevented him from pursuing those plans.
He was also a familiar presence to players in the weight room and on the practice fields. In the Eagles’ account of players’ reactions, quarterback Michael Vick and guard Evan Mathis remembered his humor and positive interactions. Their comments reflected his friendships with players.
Addiction, Recovery, and Legal Difficulties
Garrett’s adult years included a publicly documented struggle with substance use disorder. In January 2007, he drove through a red light in Plymouth Township, Pennsylvania, while under the influence of heroin and struck another vehicle, seriously injuring its driver. The crash resulted in criminal proceedings and a jail sentence.
Court reporting also documented a subsequent case involving prescription pills brought into a correctional facility. In July 2008, Garrett received a sentence to a two-year Pennsylvania program combining incarceration and intensive addiction treatment. The Inquirer’s court report described its emphasis on treatment and structured reintegration.
His brother Britt faced separate legal troubles in 2007. Although accounts sometimes discuss the brothers together, their cases arose from different incidents and should not be confused. Andy and Tammy supported their sons through treatment efforts, and Andy took time away from coaching during that period.
By the summer of 2012, people around Garrett believed he had made progress. His presence with the Eagles’ conditioning staff suggested that he was rebuilding a routine around work he enjoyed. His family later acknowledged that apparent improvement had concealed a relapse.
Garrett Reid’s Death and Official Cause
On August 5, 2012, Garrett was found unresponsive in a room at Lehigh University, where the Eagles were conducting training camp. Emergency efforts were unsuccessful. The team announced his death that morning, and police said they had found no signs of suspicious activity.
Investigators completed an autopsy and toxicology testing. On October 18, 2012, Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek announced that the cause was acute opiate toxicity involving heroin. His death was officially classified as accidental, as documented by the NFL’s report of the findings.
The confirmed findings matter because early coverage appeared before investigators had completed their work. Garrett did not die in a football-related accident, and the official ruling was not suicide. Later reporting also discussed steroids found among his possessions, but authorities said those substances did not cause his death.
How Andy Reid and the Eagles Responded
The loss reached far beyond the Reid household. Garrett had spent years around the Eagles organization, first as the coach’s son and later as someone helping its training staff. General manager Howie Roseman announced the news to reporters, while owner Jeffrey Lurie and players publicly expressed support for the family.
In a statement issued the next day, Andy Reid thanked supporters and recalled his son’s warmth, laughter, and determination during difficult years. The family acknowledged Garrett’s addiction without allowing it to become his entire identity. In a later statement published by the Eagles, Andy also discussed the painful realization that apparent progress had concealed a relapse.
Andy returned to Eagles activities on August 8, two days after his son’s death and the day after the funeral. He said continuing to coach felt right for him and consistent with Garrett’s affection for the team. The return was a personal response to grief.
Garrett Reid’s Funeral and Family Remembrance
Garrett’s funeral was held on August 7, 2012, at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse in Broomall, Pennsylvania. Roughly 900 people attended, including relatives, Eagles personnel, former players, and prominent NFL figures. The gathering reflected the family’s connections across professional football.
Among those present were NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, coaches Bill Belichick and John Harbaugh, and former Eagles players. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s coverage of the service, the ceremony emphasized Garrett’s friendships, sense of humor, and kindness toward others. His sister Crosby sang a hymn during the service, and relatives shared memories of his childhood.
The family’s obituary had asked mourners to remember Garrett’s enthusiasm for life and the support he gave to people close to him. Those memories offered a portrait beyond the circumstances of his death.
How His Family Has Remembered Him
Garrett remained part of the Reid family’s public story long after 2012. When Andy won his first Super Bowl as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs in February 2020, the family spoke about missing him during the celebration.
In The Philadelphia Inquirer’s account of Super Bowl LIV, Andy, Tammy, and Crosby described remembering Garrett as the family gathered after the victory. Tammy explained that she wore a ring given to her in his memory. Their remarks placed him within a family milestone that he had not lived to see.
Years later, the family continued including Garrett in major milestones.
Conclusion
Garrett Reid was more than the son of a celebrated football coach. He was a brother, former college football player, and aspiring strength and conditioning professional whose life included both close relationships and serious addiction-related challenges. He died on August 5, 2012, from an accidental heroin overdose at age 29. The records establish the circumstances of his death, while his family’s words and the memories shared by Eagles players preserve a broader account of the person they knew.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How old was Garrett Reid when he died?
Garrett Reid was 29 years old when he died on August 5, 2012. He was born on April 13, 1983, in Provo, Utah, and was the eldest of Andy and Tammy Reid’s five children.
2. What was Garrett Reid’s cause of death?
Garrett Reid died from an accidental heroin overdose. Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek announced the official findings on October 18, 2012, following an autopsy and toxicology testing.
3. When and where was Garrett Reid’s funeral held?
His funeral took place on August 7, 2012, at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse in Broomall, Pennsylvania. Approximately 900 people attended, including family members, NFL coaches, players, and team executives.
4. How were Britt Reid and Garrett Reid related?
Britt Reid was Garrett Reid’s younger brother. Both were sons of Andy and Tammy Reid. The brothers experienced separate legal difficulties involving drugs in 2007, although their individual incidents and subsequent cases were distinct.
5. Did Garrett Reid work for the Philadelphia Eagles?
Yes. Garrett assisted the Philadelphia Eagles’ strength and conditioning coaches during offseason training and the team’s 2012 training camp. He was interested in physical conditioning and had planned to pursue further education in sports management.
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