Oct 11, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid (0) runs the ball past Florida State Seminoles defensive back Jerry Wilson (19) during the second half at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Pitt HC Gives Injury Update on Desmond Reid

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Panthers on SI
By Owen Lenson | Last updated Oct 27, 2025 6:00 PM ET

The Pitt Panthers won in dominant fashion against the NC State Wolfpack. The offense exploded for 53 points, with five different players scoring a touchdown. One of those players was star running back Desmond Reid.

Reid's Injury

Unfortunately, not everything went well for the Panthers. Reid ended up exiting the game with an apparent injury during the third quarter. The plays called had been using Reid heavily, likely due to wide receiver Kenny Johnson also exiting the game with an injury earlier.

After being unable to get up from the field for a minute or two, Reid was helped off and headed to the medical tent. He could later be seen exiting the medical tent being able to walk on his own, though with a boot on his left leg. He remained on the sidelines for the rest of the game, not going back in to play but also not having to go to the locker room.

Narduzzi Provides Clarity

Head coach Pat Narduzzi was of course asked about Reid in his recent press conference. Narduzzi provided a calm answer, albeit one that is vague in regards to when Reid will return.

"Des wants to play. He was feeling good and wanted to play," Narduzzi said. "Des will be fine. We want to get him on the field but we want to keep him healthy."

Narduzzi also mentioned that Reid was unhappy only taking 23 snaps in the win over Syracuse the week prior.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Will Reid Play Against Stanford?

It's currently unclear if Reid will play the next game at Stanford. It would be an interesting sight to see a player in a boot one week and then playing on the field the next.

Reid is currently on the depth chart, but it isn't always an accurate way of telling who will play the upcoming game. Linebackers Kyle Louis and Rasheem Biles were on the depth chart against NC State despite both ultimately being ruled out for the game.

Injuries Galore

Pitt continues to deal with injuries to their best players. As mentioned previously, wide receiver Kenny Johnson. Louis and Biles all have been dealing with recent injuries.

Reid also missed some games with a "lower-body injury" this season. After leaving the matchup against West Virginia early, Reid missed the following two games against Louisville and Boston College. In the West Virginia game he was injured during, Reid also remained on the sidelines for the remainder of the time.

Reid returned for the matchup against Florida State, which was personal to him. In his first game playing with freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel, Reid had two touchdowns and led all players in receiving yards.

Hopefully Reid won't have to miss any time. If he does miss a couple of weeks, now is the time to. The next two weeks for Pitt consist of playing Stanford , who has a 3-5 record, and then getting another bye week. After that, it's a gauntlet of three currently ranked teams.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: