BROOMALL, Pa. -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren and New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick were among more than 900 people who packed a Mormon church for the funeral service of Garrett Reid, son of Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid.
Garrett Reid was found dead in his dorm room Sunday morning at Lehigh University, where he was assisting the Eagles' strength and conditioning coach during training camp. The 29-year-old recovering drug addict seemingly had turned his life around.
Many current and former players, coaches and other league officials traveled from all across the country to pay their respects Tuesday morning at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The list included Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh, New Orleans Saints interim coach Joe Vitt and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Indianapolis Colts general manager Ryan Grigson and Browns general manager Tom Heckert.
"Andy prides himself on being a rock. All of us in this business have to be like that a little bit," Holmgren said. "But when it comes to something as personal as this, his humanness and who he is comes out, and that's OK. He reacted like every other father would react."
Holmgren called Reid, the first coach he hired in Green Bay, the "son I never had." One of Holmgren's four daughters used to babysit Reid's children. He said young Garrett was a "rambunctious guy" with a "great personality."
The receiving line was so long that it wrapped around the church and delayed the start of the service for more than an hour. Andy Reid was at the front of the line with his wife, Tammy; sons Britt and Spencer; and daughters Crosby and Drew Ann.
"He was comforting us," said Harbaugh, a former assistant under Reid. "He wrapped me up in a big bear hug, and he told me everything was going to be all right. That's the Andy I know."
Buses brought Eagles players and team employees from camp at Lehigh and the NovaCare practice complex in Philadelphia. Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook and Jeremiah Trotter were among Reid's former players in attendance.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press
