Ed Reed said goodbye to the Baltimore Ravens' fans on Sunday with a full-page ad in the Baltimore Sun, thanking them for supporting him for 11 seasons.
The Pro Bowl safety will play next season for the Houston Texans after signing a three-year, $15 million contract Friday.
In the ad, Reed said his time in Baltimore was "more than I would have ever imagined, which is why I have such deep love for you all. I will forever cherish my time with the Ravens and the chills that ran down my spine when I finally kissed the Lombardi Trophy."
He also said "this is not a goodbye, but a See You Soon."
The Ravens will host the Texans next season on a date to be determined. The 2013 NFL schedule is expected to be announced sometime next month.
Reed's departure was one more offseason blow to the Super Bowl champion Ravens, who have seen several key players depart.
Star linebacker Ray Lewis retired and the Ravens traded receiver Anquan Boldin to the 49ers. With salary-cap limitations, Baltimore lost linebackers Paul Kruger (Cleveland) and Dannell Ellerbe (Miami) and cornerback Cary Williams (Philadelphia) in free agency. The Ravens also cut safety Bernard Pollard, who signed with Tennessee.
Receiver Torrey Smith told the Baltimore Sun that he has trust in general manager Ozzie Newsome's decisions.
"I think the hardest thing for the fans is just the connection between the guys that we lost," Smith told the newspaper. "We lost Ray, and also Ed, who were icons and Anquan [Boldin] played a great role over the past few years, and Bernard Pollard plays like a Raven. It takes a lot out of the fans, but it's just the business side of it, and they get to experience it first-hand. We'll be fine."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.