By SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — From the small town of Haven to the sidelines of the National Football League, Garrett Reihs is living a dream that once seemed a world away.
At just 24 years old, the Reno County native is working as an equipment manager for the New England Patriots, completing a journey that began at Haven High School and continued through Hutchinson Community College and Kansas State University before taking him halfway across the country.
For Reihs, a career in the NFL didn't happen overnight. It was built through years of long hours, unexpected opportunities and an attention to detail that eventually caught the attention of one of professional football's most recognizable franchises.
"I pretty much reached where I wanted to be, to become a seasonal equipment manager for an NFL team," Reihs said. "I never thought I'd end up working for the Patriots, but here I am, and it's been nothing but a good time. I've loved it up here so far."
Reihs graduated from Haven High School in 2020, a year when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted nearly every aspect of life. His graduating class didn't hold its commencement ceremony until July, and his first year of college brought more uncertainty.
After enrolling at Hutchinson Community College, Reihs hoped to become a student manager for the Blue Dragons' men's basketball program. When a position wasn't available, he found another way to get involved.
He began helping the athletic department with concessions, setting up officials' locker rooms and preparing for games and other events with Athletic Director Josh Gooch and then-Assistant Athletic Director Steve Kappenman.
During his second year at HutchCC, Reihs finally got his opportunity to work with the men's basketball program under then-first-year head coach Tommy DeSalme.
After graduating from HutchCC in 2022, Reihs transferred to Kansas State University, where his career aspirations began to take shape.
He joined the Wildcats' football equipment staff as a student manager in the fall of 2022, beginning a three-year stint that included three bowl appearances and a Big 12 championship.
His first season in Manhattan coincided with Kansas State's 2022 Big 12 title, providing an unforgettable introduction to major college football.
"That was an unreal experience," Reihs said. "I got to travel a lot more than I ever had before. I got to see all these cool stadiums, meet a bunch of cool people from opposing equipment staffs. I got to go to three bowl games. We won a Big 12 championship in '22, which was my first year at K-State."
The phone call
After three seasons at Kansas State, Reihs received a phone call in the summer of 2025 that would change his career.
The number wasn't saved in his phone, and he had no idea who was calling.
On the other end was the New England Patriots' head equipment manager, offering him an internship for the team's upcoming training camp.
"I was very shocked to find out the head equipment manager for the New England Patriots was giving me a call," Reihs said. "That's always been my dream ever since I started doing football equipment, to make it to the NFL level."
He accepted the opportunity without hesitation and headed to Massachusetts, where he spent training camp learning how an NFL equipment operation functions.
Once the internship ended, Reihs made the drive back to Kansas, taking a road trip along the way.
He figured his time with the Patriots had provided valuable experience and an opportunity to learn at the highest level of football.
But in late March 2026, another call came.
The Patriots had openings on their equipment staff and wanted Reihs to return for the entire season.
"I didn't hesitate," Reihs said. "I said, '100%. How soon do you want me up there?'"
He returned to Foxborough in early April and has been with the organization ever since.
Several players he worked with during the previous summer's training camp were still with the team and welcomed him back.
Behind the scenes in the NFL
While fans see the action on Sundays, Reihs is among the staff members responsible for making sure players have everything they need before they ever step onto the field.
The work begins long before kickoff and continues well after the final whistle.
During a typical game week, Mondays and Tuesdays are spent cleaning the equipment room, doing laundry and preparing clothing and equipment for the upcoming opponent.
Wednesdays and Thursdays bring some of the busiest days as players return for practices and workouts. Fridays are spent preparing jerseys, shoulder pads, equipment bags and other necessities for game day.
By Saturday, much of the focus turns to transporting equipment and setting up the stadium.
Even home games require extensive preparation because the Patriots' practice facility and stadium equipment areas are separate.
"We got a new facility this year, so even though it's a home game, we still have to pack the player bags and take it down to the stadium because the new facility and the stadium isn't connected," Reihs said.
That means loading a box truck with equipment, transporting it to Gillette Stadium and preparing the locker room before players arrive.
The hours can be especially demanding during the week.
"We're here at like 6 o'clock in the morning, and we sometimes don't leave until 10:30, 11 o'clock at night on days when we have practice," Reihs said. "We're usually the first ones in, last ones out."
Reihs works primarily with the Patriots' specialists, including kickers, punters and long snappers.
That assignment allows him to develop relationships with a smaller group of players and assist with special teams preparations throughout the week.
"You really get to develop a good friendship and a good relationship with the coaches and the players because you see them literally pretty much every day," Reihs said.
On game days, the work shifts to the sidelines, where Reihs can be responsible for cleaning helmet visors, checking equipment, helping coaches and making sure players are ready to return to the field.
He also has opportunities to work as a ball boy, an assignment that has quickly become one of his favorite parts of the job.
"You're either what we call sideline personnel, which is helping players when the defense comes off the field, cleaning their visors if they need cleaned, making sure their helmets are all good," Reihs said.
"Then there's also being a ball boy, which I've gotten to do a couple times already just this season. You get to be right up next to the action, which is my personal favorite."
A long way from home
The move from Kansas to Massachusetts has been another adjustment for Reihs, who grew up in Reno County and spent his college years in Hutchinson and Manhattan.
"It's kind of a big change," Reihs said. "Moving halfway across the country, I have to get used to living in a lot bigger city, a lot bigger area."
He has also enjoyed experiencing a different part of the country, including the changing fall colors and cooler New England weather.
The travel opportunities have been another highlight.
Through five weeks of the 2026 season, Reihs has already logged air miles to Jacksonville, Fla. New England improved to 3-2 with a 45-17 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday in Foxborough.
The remaining schedule includes trips to Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles and Kansas City.
On Nov. 15, the Patriots will face the Detroit Lions in Munich, Germany, giving Reihs his first opportunity to travel outside the United States.
But perhaps the most meaningful trip will come Dec. 21, when New England visits the Kansas City Chiefs for a Monday night game at Arrowhead Stadium.
For Reihs, the game represents a chance to return to his home state while working on one of professional football's biggest stages.
"I'm pretty excited," Reihs said. "I think it's gonna be fun."
His mother plans to attend the game, while his father and several friends also hope to be in the stands.
Reihs said he has attended just one game at Arrowhead Stadium, making the opportunity to return as a member of an NFL equipment staff even more memorable.
Away from football, he has also experienced the broader Boston sports scene, meeting members of the Celtics organization who have visited Patriots practices.
"I've gotten to meet the head coach for the Celtics, the GM for the Celtics, because they come to practice quite a bit, and just getting to meet all these cool people, getting to experience all the like being on this side of the country," Reihs said. "Like I've never really traveled before I went to the state, so it's just really cool to see another area outside of like the midwest and outside of Kansas."
'Dominate the details'
Despite reaching the NFL at just 24 years old, Reihs hasn't forgotten the lessons he learned along the way.
He credits his experience at Kansas State with teaching him the importance of consistently working hard and mastering the smallest details of his responsibilities.
Those lessons helped him make an impression on the Wildcats' equipment staff, which ultimately led to his opportunity in New England.
Reihs said his supervisor at Kansas State knew the Patriots' head equipment manager and recommended him for the position.
"My boss at K-State knows the head equipment manager from the Patriots, which is how I got this job in the first place," Reihs said. "He had all good things to say about me."
Now, Reihs hopes his journey can serve as an example for others growing up in small communities across Reno County who might dream of working in professional sports.
His advice is simple: Work hard, be dependable and never overlook the little things.
"Always show up to work. Do 110 percent. Do what you're told. Work really hard," Reihs said. "Never settle for less, and always dominate the details."
"It's always those small details that'll help get you noticed by your boss, and then their boss might refer you to someone at the NFL level."
Although Reihs has already accomplished one of his biggest professional goals, he hasn't ruled out the possibility of one day working for another franchise.
Growing up, he was a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, and working on their sideline was once his ultimate dream.
For now, however, he's enjoying every moment of his opportunity in New England.
"I'm pretty content where I'm at right now," Reihs said. "I pretty much reached where I wanted to be."
What started with setting up concessions and officials' locker rooms at Hutchinson Community College has turned into preparing NFL locker rooms, working alongside professional athletes and traveling to some of football's most recognizable stadiums.
From Haven to Hutchinson, Manhattan to Foxborough, Reihs has found that a dream that once seemed far from home can become a reality through hard work and the willingness to take advantage of every opportunity.
And at only 24 years old, his journey in professional football is just beginning.
