BIOGRAPHY
Joe Haden was born on April 14, 1989, in Fort Washington, Maryland. He is a cornerback in the NFL.
Haden attended Friendly High School in Fort Washington, Maryland, where he played safety and quarterback for the Friendly Patriots high school football team. He led the team to a 14–0 record and a MPSSAA Class 3A State Championship during his senior season in 2006. He set the Maryland state record with 7,371 career passing yards and tied the record for touchdown passes with 80. He was first discovered as an MVP at the National Underclassmen Combine camp in New Jersey alongside current NFL quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Haden was selected to play in the first Offense-Defense All-American Bowl.
In addition to football, Haden was also the point guard on the basketball team that won two state titles.
Haden played chose to play at the University of Florida under coach Urban Meyer's Florida Gators football team from 2007 to 2009. He became the first true freshman to start a game at cornerback for the Gators on opening day, and finished the season with 63 tackles and an interception. He was recognized as a freshman All-American and was an All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) freshman selection. As a sophomore in 2008, Haden started all 14 games, recording 77 tackles, and three interceptions—including an 88-yard interception return for a touchdown (the fourth longest in Gators history). In the Gators' 24–14 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the BCS Championship Game, he had 10 tackles and three pass break-ups. During his junior year, he shared the Gators' most valuable player award with quarterback Tim Tebow, and was named the National Defensive Player of the Year by the Sporting News.
The Cleveland Browns selected Haden with the seventh overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. He finished his rookie season with 64 combined tackles, 6 interceptions and one forced fumble.
In 2013 Haden was selected for his first Pro Bowl. Haden also received his first All-Pro selection, making the second team. He finished the 2013 season with 54 combined tackles (43 solo), 20 pass deflections, four interceptions, and a touchdown in 15 games and 15 starts.
in 2014, He finished the season with a career-high 73 combined tackles (58 solo), 20 pass deflections, and three interceptions in 15 games and 15 starts. Haden was also voted as captain of the team, in his second consecutive Pro bowl.
In 2017, Haden signed with the Pitssburgh Steelers, and in 2020 he was named to his third Pro Bowl as a replacement to Marcus Peters.
Haden had previously owned his own shoe store, The Restock, which reflects his love of sneakers. He said he has more than 1,200 pairs of sneakers, which he has been collecting since high school. Most of those, he said, are Jordan and Nike shoes. Haden said he has bought most of the shoes in his collection, though the contract he signed with Nike four years ago has helped stock his supply. He lists his favorite pair as Nike Air Mag, which was the shoe Marty McFly wore during the movie Back to the Future II.
On September 21, 2022, Joe Haden retired from the NFL after signing a one-day contract with the Cleveland Browns.
