Tampa Bay Underdog QB Reid Sinnett

“Reid Sinnett to Rob Gronkowski… did you ever think you’d hear that?”

Most of our Moonlighters have hung up the cleats and turned out the lights in the locker room for the last time. This week we sit down with a guy who is just coming onto the scene. Reid Sinnett is a local product who is currently getting ready for his first NFL season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Sinnett has made his way as a backup who has earned every opportunity since 8th grade and now is sitting behind the greatest QB in history, Tom Brady. Reid Sinnett took some time out of the most unusual preseason in league history to talk to Tim and Tom.

“I went into every camp thinking I could be the guy”

Reid Sinnett graduated from Johnston High School in 2015. Though he was a key player in one of the top baseball programs in the state, he didn’t have the same chances to shine on the football field until he was a senior. In fact, Ried went from 8th grade through his junior year of high school competing for the starting job but not being given the chance to win it outright. After not being the starter for his 8th-grade year, he was dressing varsity at a 4A high school as a freshman and sophomore. While he clearly had the talent, he had to wait for his opportunity. In spite of going 6-6 for 4 touchdowns in the first game of his junior year, he still had to share the role. The limits to his playing time and his visibility hampered his recruiting opportunities for football though he did draw interest from a few Ivy League programs and North Dakota State among other schools. 

Instead of sitting on the bench and complaining or moping, Sinnett always took the approach of being ready for his turn. That mentality was critical to him improving year after year and taking full advantage when he was given the keys to the offense. The Dragons were 8-4 and a playoff team during his senior year. When it was time to find his next stop, Sinnett was looking out of state because Iowa and Iowa State both already had in-state QB targets. He was actually encouraged to reach out to the University of San Diego by the out-going Yale offensive coordinator.

After moving 1,700 miles from Johnston to San Diego, Ried Sinnett found himself in basically the same position. The University of San Diego is a highly competitive FCS program that won at least 9 games each season from 2015-2019 and made the FCS playoffs 4 out his 5 years there. The Toreros had an outstanding quarterback named Anthony Lawrence who was leading the charge and racking up honors of his own along the way. Sinnett used his time as the backup to learn from Lawrence and his coaches while improving himself as an athlete. 

When Lawrence graduated, Sinnett was ready to take over. Not only did he become the starting quarterback, but he became one of the best quarterbacks in FCS. Sinnett’s numbers during his 5th year season were good enough to be named first-team all-conference and stood among the nation’s leaders in passer efficiency, yards, touchdowns, and total offense. 

That senior campaign was coupled with some outstanding performances during his senior bowl week. Sinnett’s acumen as a quarterback and leadership skills were recognized as he was named the starter and team captain for the NFLPA Senior Bowl National team. That experience ended up being his last real showcase as his pro day was canceled due to COVID. The impression he made during that week and his outstanding super-senior year were enough to garner interest from many NFL teams. Reid’s agent was fielding phone calls from about ⅓ of NFL teams wanting to sign him as an undrafted free agent. When his agent took a call from Tampa Bay though, Reid was ready to sign on the dotted line. The opportunity to play alongside Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, and Mike Evans while being coached by offensive guru Bruce Arians was too good to pass up.

Tom Brady; quarterback and barber

Though many parts of the typical NFL offseason were canceled due to COVID, Sinnett did cross the nation again to go from San Diego to Iowa and finally make his way down to Tampa. Like Johnston and USD, Reid knew he was stepping into a situation where he would be on the sideline. However,  this time he welcomes the mantle of back up. Part of the draw to Tampa was the opportunity to learn and grow. In spite of having years of playing quarterback, Sinnett has only entered two years out of the last 10 where he was the starter. In a way, Tampa Bay is the perfect next step in his career because he can come in and learn from the best while he finds his way in professional football. Without rookie camp and OTAs, the learning curve will be steep, but that is right up Reid’s alley. He is walking into a QB room filled with talent and NFL experience. In this interview, he shares stories about practice with a few future Hall of Famers. 

As a first-year UDFA, the path may feel about as sure and smooth as a fresh haircut from Tom Brady, but Reid Sinnett has shown time and time again that he takes full advantage of his time and will be prepared when his number is called.

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