Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019, Reid becomes the latest high-profile former athlete to coach in the HBCU ranks.
Deion Sanders was at Jackson State University from 2020 until he became Secretary of Colorado earlier this month. Eddie George has been the head coach of Tennessee State University since 2021.
Bethune-Cookman, a historically black college in Daytona Beach, Florida, is an FCS program. Six times he has won the MEAC Championship since 2000, but has struggled since joining SWAC in 2021.
Its former coach, Terry Sims, was fired at the end of November after going 2-9 in consecutive seasons.
A Bethune-Cookman news release announced that Reed had “reached an agreement in principle to become the 16th head football coach,” but gave few details.
The 44-year-old Reid has spent the past three seasons on the support staff at his alma mater in Miami, most recently as senior football advisor under head coach Mario Cristobal.
Prior to that, he was the defensive backs assistant coach for the Buffalo Bills in 2016.
A native of Louisiana, Reid was part of the 2001 Miami National Championship team.
He was a first-round draft pick by the Ravens in 2002 and led the league with three interceptions. He holds his NFL record for his return yards intercepted.