Is the Steelers' Jeff Reed Really Worth the Headache?

Most people believe kickers should be like children - seen and not heard. The only time in the NFL a kicker should get recognition is when he either makes or misses a kick that determines the outcome of a game.

Jeff Reed must not believe in that.

As the information from the Sunday night altercation between Reed and Pittsburgh Police officers continues to surface, it is time to evaluate how important Jeff Reed really is to the Steelers.

In the Steelers' two losses this year, Reed missed a total of three field goals. Had he made those three, the Steelers may be sitting at 5-0 right now.

In his contract year, you would think that Reed would be on his best behavior. But this article is not about what Reed does off the field, it is about what he does on it.

Reed joined the Steelers in November of 2002, when he replaced Kris Brown. Brown was an amazing kicker on the road, but was unable to consistently hit in the gusty winds of Heinz Field.

That is where Reed is his most dangerous.

Heinz Field is a nightmare for kickers. No one has ever kicked a field goal over 50 yards there, which becomes a benefit to the home team.

That being said, there is no one that can deliver in the clutch as Reed can. In my opinion, Reed would have been a top priority in the offseason, had he been able to stay out of trouble.

But that brings us to the point of this article. Do you think that Reed should be brought back next year, knowing what we know about his off-the-field issues?

Please vote in the poll question and leave a comment as to why you think he should stay or go. If you were the GM of the Steelers, what would you do?

Just remember, if we are playing in the AFC Championship game in Pittsburgh, and there are three inches of snow, and the gusty winds that Heinz Field gets, is there anyone other than Reed that you would want kicking a 45-yard field goal to go to the Super Bowl?

At that point, do any of his off field issues really matter?