Reed Blankenship, a proud West Limestone graduate, stood atop the football world with the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday, Feb. 9, as his Philadelphia Eagles dismantled the Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22, in Super Bowl LIX.

It was the perfect storybook ending that capped an incredible season for Blankenship and his team. Even after the joyous celebration in New Orleans and the subsequent championship parade through the City of Brotherly Love Friday, Feb. 14, Blankenship said that the magnitude of the moment has yet to sink in.

“It was definitely one of those dream come true, bucket list kind of moments,” Blankenship said. “I’ll be honest, reaching the top of the mountain and doing what we did to win was great, but it still hasn’t hit me yet. Honestly, I don’t know if it ever will. I think it’s one of those things where you enjoy the climb of getting to that point more than you enjoy actually reaching the peak. We had a lot of challenges along the way, but overcoming the adversity we had leading up to the Super Bowl was a little bit better than the actual Super Bowl itself.”

Blankenship is more than familiar with the feeling of overcoming adversity. He was a dual-sport standout in high school, excelling in both football and basketball at West Limestone, but he never received a major Division I-level scholarship.

Undeterred, the Limestone County native took his talents to Middle Tennessee, where he chose to pursue his football career. After sustaining gruesome compound fractures to both his fibula and tibia in college, Blankenship went on to become the all-time leading tackler in school history — cementing himself as a star on the gridiron. 

Despite all of the national accolades and awards he garnered in his time as a Blue Raider, Blankenship was not selected in the 2022 NFL Draft.

That, however, did not break his lifelong goal of one day playing in the league, and he later signed as an undrafted free agent with the Eagles before becoming their starting safety that same season. 

“After everything he has been through to get to where he is, I was so happy to see him win it all,” District 4 Commissioner LaDon Townsend, who attended the game at the Caesars Superdome, said. “I’ve known him since he played rec-ball at Salem Community Park — he was a year older than my son — and I’ve been fortunate to watch him grow up ever since then. We all knew he was truly something special, even at a young age. The difference between him and the rest of the guys at his level is how much he cares for the people around him. He is always talking, signing autographs and taking pictures with kids — it’s just the kind of guy he is. That’s what makes him so special to our community.”

As the Eagles made their run to the Super Bowl, Blankenship’s family, friends and fans in his hometown rallied right behind them — rooting them on every step of the way. 

On Friday, Feb. 7, West Limestone High School and Sugar Creek Elementary School held pep rallies to cheer on Blankenship and his team before the Super Bowl. The rallies were attended by hundreds of students and teachers, all of who were proudly decked out in Blankenship’s jersey and Eagles gear. 

“I am always grateful for the support system I have,” Blankenship said. “I am very blessed and fortunate to have so many people back home supporting me through the ups and downs of each season. I still think of myself as the skinny little kid who was lucky enough to play at West Limestone. My mindset hasn’t really changed a whole lot since then, there’s just a ton of cameras watching me do what I love to do now. My heart still runs through West Limestone; it is never going to get away from that.”

Blankenship’s unconventional journey to the grandest stage in all of football can be easily described as a story of hard work and perseverance — qualities that make him a role model for the youth in West Limestone. 

“No kid should ever doubt their dreams,” Blankenship said. “Trust me, there are going to be plenty of people doing that for you. But I’ve always seen that as an opportunity and a challenge to prove them wrong — that’s just how I’ve been raised. Don’t make life too hard. Always chase your dreams no matter what, because you never know if that dream will work if you don’t at least try.”