DJ Reader
DETROIT LIONS
| Position | College | Years in the NFL |
|---|---|---|
| Defensive Lineman | Clemson | 10 |
Excellence on the Field
Although he now wears Honolulu Blue in his tenth season in the League, Reader was drafted by the Texans with the 166th pick out of the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Early expectations for Reader were modest, but his dedication to growth and improvement quickly set him apart. By his fourth year, his production skyrocketed, recording more sacks and hurries in that season than in his previous three combined. When later signing with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020, Reader became the highest-paid nose tackle and free agent in Bengals' franchise history and immediately embraced the responsibility of defensive leader. By his second season in Cincinnati, he was named a team captain and played a pivotal role in helping the Bengals reach the Super Bowl after a 2-14 season prior to his arrival. Now in his second season with the Detroit Lions, Reader continues to demonstrate resilience, leadership and excellence both on, and off, the field.
Dedication & Commitment to Community Efforts This Year
In Detroit, Reader made an immediate impact on the city upon joining the Lions. In 2024, he hosted a back-to-school drive, serving 250 students by giving them school supplies and providing free dental screenings. He also organized a Thanksgiving turkey giveaway that supported 250 families with turkeys and sides to complete the meal to ingratiate himself to the Detroit community while celebrating the most iconic of Detroit Lions' traditions. He later partnered with the Peach Cobbler Factory in downtown Detroit to host a community meet-and-greet where the first 98 attendees received free dessert and Detroit Lions giveaways, along with the opportunity to meet Reader and take a photo. One way Reader pours into the community is through his A Son Never Forgets Foundation. One of his signature initiatives is the annual Football Skills & Drills Camp held in Greensboro, N.C. The camp is celebrating eight years of service in 2025, training more than 250 young athletes each year with mentorship, life lessons, and athletic development. His foundation also has six established public reading rooms, four in Cincinnati and two in Greensboro, N.C., available to local middle and high school students. He also works to provide free health screenings and wellness programs to increase access to vital resources while promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Dedication & Commitment to Community Efforts in Years Past
Reader's dedication to giving back is rooted in family values and a deep understanding of the impact of community support. In honor of his late father who passed away in 2014 from kidney disease, Reader has been a long-time supporter of the National Kidney Foundation. Since 2016, he has granted scholarships to students in his hometown of Greensboro, N.C. through a memorial scholarship fund he created in honor of his father. In 2019, he hosted the National Kidney Foundation Charity Walk in Houston, helping raise $75,000, tripling the city's prior average total. That same year, he organized the foundation's Golf Tournament, raising more than $100,000 for kidney awareness and research. Reader never forgets to give love back to the places that raised him. He has supported his alma mater and various other local high schools in Greensboro, N.C. He donated $185,000 to completely renovate the performance room, now named the Reader Performance Center, at his alma mater, Grimsley High School, which features 16 new weight stations, brand-new barbells and dumbbells, and a new floor and ceiling. He also provided funding for 21 Grimsley volleyball players to travel to Orlando for a preseason tournament, covering travel and meals. Additionally, he gave $5,000 grants to five local football programs and $2,500 grants to five basketball programs in the Greensboro, N.C. area. He also helped provide alternate helmets when his high school won the 4A State Championship and has been actively involved in the effort to save the fields where he once played. He donated new uniforms and pads to two local high school sports teams who had gone more than 10 years without updated equipment. Additionally, he is a consistent supporter of his high school basketball program, annually providing shoes and team shirts to the student athletes. He is deeply invested in supporting youth sports and sponsors multiple AAU sports programs in his home state, an AAU football program with six age groups and a high school team that reached the national championship in its first year and saw all student-athletes in the program record at least 200 hours of community service, as well as an AAU baseball program that is currently ranked #1 in North Carolina and #7 nationally. In four years, the program has produced 27 college scholarships, and nine players drafted into a professional league.
Positive Character & a Lifestyle of Giving Back
In 2022, Reader received the President's Lifetime Achievement Volunteer Service Award for over 4,000 hours of service. That same year, the City of Cincinnati proclaimed November 7 as "D.J. Reader Day" to honor his endless work in the community. He has also received the Ed Block Courage Award through the League honored as a role model of inspiration and sportsmanship, and the Texans' Spirit of the Bull Award for a similar reason. When Hurricane Harvey devastated areas of Texas in 2017, D.J. stepped up as a leader in relief efforts. By his fourth season, he was recognized as the Texans' Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. In 2020 and 2021, he provided 150 turkeys to Cincinnati families in need during Thanksgiving and the holidays. In 2021, during Women's Month, he partnered with a local salon to provide a day of pampering for women living in a battered women's shelter. In 2022, he celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week by providing lunch for a local elementary school staff in Cincinnati. In 2023, his annual Thanksgiving drive at Shroder High School provided turkeys and $50 gift cards for sides, with additional turkeys allocated to families at John P. Parker Elementary. His work spans health, education, empowerment, and athletics, all grounded in a passion for giving those around him the opportunities, resources, and encouragement they deserve. Reader has never shied away from the pressures and expectations that come with being seen as a role model. Instead, he has embraced them wholeheartedly, viewing his platform as an NFL player as an opportunity to create meaningful impact. He balances the demands of his professional career with his personal life as a proud father and his commitment to supporting youth, families, and various underserved communities, and he does it with grace, humility and authenticity.
