Behind the championship trophies and high-pressure NFL sidelines associated with Andy Reid is a deeply personal story of family loyalty, addiction, recovery, and loss. Long before Andy became one of football’s most successful coaches, his family moved from city to city as he built his career. His eldest child, Garrett Reid, grew up within that demanding football world.
Garrett was more than the son of a prominent coach. He was an Eagle Scout, a former offensive lineman, a community-college graduate, a devoted older brother, and a familiar presence around the Philadelphia Eagles. Friends and players remembered his humor, powerful laugh, warmth, and enthusiasm for strength training.
His life also included an intense struggle with substance addiction that repeatedly interrupted his plans. Garrett died from an accidental heroin overdose on August 5, 2012, while assisting the Eagles at training camp. He was 29 years old, and his death remains an important part of the Reid family’s story.
Quick Facts
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Garrett William Reid |
| Date of birth | April 13, 1983 |
| Birthplace | Provo, Utah, United States |
| Date of death | August 5, 2012 |
| Age at death | 29 years old |
| Place of death | Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania |
| Parents | Andy Reid and Tammy Reid |
| Siblings | Britt, Crosby, Drew Ann, and Spencer Reid |
| Education | Harriton High School and Montgomery County Community College |
| Scouting achievement | Eagle Scout |
| Football background | High school lineman and junior-college offensive tackle |
| Eagles role | Strength and conditioning staff assistant |
| Cause of death | Accidental heroin overdose |
Growing Up in a Football Family
Garrett Reid was born in Provo, Utah, while his father was completing graduate studies and developing his coaching career. The family’s circumstances changed whenever Andy accepted a new football position, taking Garrett from Utah to other parts of the country during his childhood. He later spent important formative years in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the Philadelphia area.
Football was not simply a weekend activity in the Reid household. It influenced the family calendar, their moves, and the people around them. When Andy became head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999, Garrett was a teenager. The team soon became a major part of the family’s public identity and Garrett’s personal environment.
Parents, Siblings, and Closest Relationships
Garrett was the first of five children born to Andy and Tammy Reid. His younger siblings are Britt Reid, Crosby Reid, Drew Ann Reid, and Spencer Reid. As the eldest child, Garrett experienced the earliest and least settled years of his father’s career, when coaching opportunities regularly required the household to relocate.
His family remembered him as an affectionate brother with a distinctive sense of humor. Their obituary emphasized his bold laughter, energy, and ability to make people smile. Garrett was also survived by Laura Perkins, whom his relatives described as the love of his life, reflecting the importance of his closest personal bonds.
Education, Scouting, and Football Experience
Garrett attended Harriton High School in the Philadelphia suburbs and later graduated from Montgomery County Community College. He also earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest advancement level in the Boy Scouts of America. His family regarded the achievement as an important reflection of his determination and capacity for leadership.
Athletics remained another defining interest. Garrett played on the offensive and defensive lines during high school before spending part of the 2003 season as an offensive tackle at Glendale Community College in California. Although he did not pursue a professional playing career, the experience strengthened his interest in weight training and physical performance.
The Reid Family Crisis of 2007
Garrett’s battle with addiction became public after a serious traffic crash on January 30, 2007. While driving in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, he ran a red light and struck another vehicle. The 55-year-old driver suffered a head laceration and back injuries. Garrett acknowledged using heroin that day, and investigators recovered syringes, drugs, testosterone, and numerous pills from his vehicle.
On the same date, his younger brother Britt Reid was involved in a separate road-rage confrontation that led to gun and drug charges. The two unrelated incidents created an intensely public crisis for the family. Andy temporarily stepped away from his Eagles duties as he and Tammy focused on their adult sons’ legal problems and treatment needs.
Sentencing, Treatment, and Repeated Setbacks
Garrett pleaded guilty to drug, traffic, and reckless-endangerment offenses. In November 2007, he received a sentence of two to 23 months in county jail, followed by probation. During the proceedings, he spoke candidly about the excitement he had once associated with drug dealing and expressed fear that addiction would permanently define his life.
The sentencing judge described the family as being in crisis and used the phrase “drug emporium” when discussing the medications and illegal substances discovered around the household and vehicles. The statement became widely associated with the case, though it was made within a hearing focused on two adult sons experiencing severe addiction.
The Attempt to Smuggle Prescription Pills
Garrett suffered another major setback when officers found 89 prescription pills concealed on him as he entered the Montgomery County jail. The incident resulted in additional charges for possessing drugs and introducing contraband into a correctional facility. It also demonstrated how deeply addiction continued to influence his decisions despite the crash, treatment, and approaching sentence.
In July 2008, Garrett was placed in a two-year state program combining incarceration with intensive substance treatment and gradual reintegration. The plan included prison, supervised facilities, and probation. After testing positive for drugs during an approved furlough in May 2009, he was returned to state prison rather than continuing his release program.
Finding Purpose Through Strength and Conditioning
During the years closer to his death, Garrett directed much of his attention toward exercise, bodybuilding, and physical conditioning. He enjoyed helping other people improve their fitness and hoped to turn that interest into a sustainable profession. His playing experience and enthusiasm for weight training provided a natural foundation for work inside a football organization.
Garrett began assisting the Philadelphia Eagles’ strength and conditioning staff, working under head strength coach Barry Rubin. He spent time in the weight room, supported players during training sessions, and attended offseason activities. His family said he planned to begin studying sports management in fall 2012 to develop his career further.
The Person Eagles Players Remembered
Eagles players remembered Garrett as a regular part of their working environment rather than a distant member of the head coach’s family. He trained beside players, appeared on the practice field, and built friendships across the roster. Several teammates initially knew him through workouts before fully understanding his relationship to Andy Reid.
Michael Vick recalled Garrett’s ability to make people smile even when they were in a bad mood. Evan Mathis described him as an enjoyable presence in the weight room and on the field, while Trent Cole remembered early-morning workouts with him. These accounts presented a cheerful, sociable side of Garrett that existed alongside his private struggle.
His Final Days at Eagles Training Camp
In summer 2012, Garrett joined the Eagles at their traditional training-camp location at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He was staying in a campus dormitory while assisting the conditioning operation. Being at camp kept him close to his father, coaches, employees, and players who had seen him working with the team during the offseason.
Garrett was found unresponsive in his dormitory room on the morning of August 5, 2012. Emergency personnel pronounced him dead at the scene. Police found no evidence of foul play, and the Eagles continued their scheduled activities at Andy’s request while he informed Tammy and their other children of the devastating news.
Cause of Death and the Steroid Investigation
The official toxicology investigation determined that Garrett died from an accidental heroin overdose. The result confirmed that the addiction he had fought for approximately eight years had returned with fatal consequences. His family responded by remembering his courage, loving nature, and repeated efforts to overcome a severe substance-use disorder.
Investigators also found anabolic steroids, syringes, needles, and related materials in Garrett’s room. Authorities stated that the steroids did not cause his death and found no evidence that he had supplied them to Eagles players. They could not determine whether the substances were intended for personal use or another purpose.
A Family’s Honest Response to Addiction
Andy and Tammy did not hide the nature of Garrett’s struggle after his death. Their statement described him as a fighter who maintained a large and loving heart, even while living with addiction. They expressed gratitude for the support offered by friends, fans, and the football community during the family’s most painful period.
Their words avoided reducing Garrett either to his achievements or to the circumstances surrounding his death. They recognized the seriousness of his addiction while continuing to describe him as a beloved son and brother. That balance remains central to understanding why his story still resonates with many families affected by substance dependence.
Funeral and Support From the NFL Community
Garrett’s funeral took place on August 7, 2012, at a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Broomall, Pennsylvania. Approximately 900 people attended. The Eagles organization traveled from training camp, and numerous prominent figures from professional football joined the Reid family.
Those in attendance included NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Bill Belichick, John Harbaugh, Mike Holmgren, former Eagles players, coaches, executives, and current team members. The size of the gathering reflected the respect Andy had built across the league and the personal relationships Garrett had developed within the Eagles organization.
The Emotional Weight of the 2012 Eagles Season
Andy returned to training camp less than a day after burying his son. He explained that returning to the field felt right and that Garrett would not have wanted the team’s work to stop. His decision reflected the importance of football within their relationship, though it did not lessen the grief surrounding the family and organization.
The Eagles later completed the 2012 season with a 4–12 record, ending Andy’s 14-year tenure in Philadelphia. The team had many football-related problems, making it unfair to attribute its record to one tragedy. Still, Garrett’s death gave Andy’s final Eagles season an emotional weight that remains inseparable from how that year is remembered.
Garrett’s Place in Andy Reid’s Later Career
Days after leaving Philadelphia, Andy accepted the head-coaching position with the Kansas City Chiefs and began another major chapter of his career. His later championship success never erased the family’s loss. Garrett continued to be remembered during important milestones rather than becoming a closed subject from an earlier period.
After Andy won his first Super Bowl as a head coach in February 2020, Tammy reflected on having most of the family together while feeling Garrett’s absence. Her comments showed how moments of professional joy could coexist with enduring grief and the memory of the eldest son who was no longer physically present.
Garrett Reid in Modern Football Memory
Garrett’s story continues to appear in reflections about Andy Reid’s life, the Eagles’ 2012 season, and the human realities behind professional football. Jason Kelce later recalled the shock at Lehigh and described the support shown at the funeral as remarkable, demonstrating how deeply the event remained with players who experienced that camp.
The 2025 documentary series The Kingdom brought the story to another generation of viewers. An episode centered on Andy’s family bonds, painful personal loss, refusal to judge others, and belief in second chances. The portrayal placed Garrett within the emotional history behind Andy Reid’s celebrated Kansas City career.
Interesting Facts About Garrett Reid
- Garrett was born in Utah while Andy Reid was completing graduate studies at Brigham Young University.
- He grew up in several football cities, including Green Bay and the Philadelphia metropolitan area.
- He earned the rank of Eagle Scout before completing his education at Montgomery County Community College.
- He played offensive tackle in junior college before focusing more heavily on strength and physical conditioning.
- His funeral drew about 900 mourners, including major NFL coaches, executives, players, and league officials.
FAQs
Who was Garrett Reid?
Garrett Reid was Andy and Tammy Reid’s eldest son, an Eagle Scout, college graduate, football player, and Eagles conditioning assistant.
How old was Garrett Reid when he died?
Garrett was 29 years old when he died on August 5, 2012, while staying at the Eagles’ training camp at Lehigh University.
What was Garrett Reid’s cause of death?
His death was officially ruled an accidental heroin overdose following a long struggle with addiction and several periods of treatment.
What did Garrett Reid do for the Eagles?
Garrett assisted the strength and conditioning staff, working around the weight room, practice field, offseason program, and training camp.
Who are Garrett Reid’s siblings?
Garrett’s younger siblings are Britt, Crosby, Drew Ann, and Spencer Reid, the four other children of Andy and Tammy Reid.
Conclusion
Garrett Reid’s life cannot be understood through a single label. He was a son, brother, partner, athlete, graduate, Eagle Scout, fitness enthusiast, and Eagles staff assistant. He was also a person living with a severe addiction that produced legal consequences, damaged his plans, and ultimately ended his life.
His legacy survives through the memories of the people who knew his humor and warmth, as well as through his family’s honest account of his struggle. Garrett remains an enduring part of the Reid family story—a reminder that public success can exist beside private pain, and that addiction never erases a person’s humanity.
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