Joe Haden never wanted to leave the Steelers. His new contract fulfilled his wish
The Joe Haden contract extension was a long time coming. The Steelers and Haden’s agent had been discussing a new deal since late July.
It finally got done Sunday night, but it was much more than six weeks in the making.
For Haden, it was more like two years in the making.
From the time Haden signed with the Steelers two years ago — after enduring a terrible end to his seven-year tenure with the Cleveland Browns — his goal wasn’t simply to play out the three-year, $27 million deal he signed. It was to earn a second contract with the Steelers.
“When I came here, I didn’t think I was going to leave,” said Haden, who became available to the Steelers after the Browns released him a week before the 2017 season started. “I had two years to ball out and try to stay here as long as I can. I love Coach [Mike Tomlin]. I love the organization and the way they treat the vets. All we can do was go out and ball for them. When I did that deal I was expecting to be able to re-up here and stay here for a while.”
Haden got his wish. His new three-year contract will keep him in Pittsburgh through at least the 2021 season.
Haden, who turned 30 in April, feels so good health-wise right now that he laughed at the suggestion that this was his final NFL contract.
“Not even close,” he said. “It was a two-year deal. I still feel like I have some years left.”
After going to the Pro Bowl in 2013 and 2014, Haden missed 11 games in 2015 and had double sports hernia surgery. During rehabilitation from the injury he consulted with physical therapist Alex Skacel about how to regain his previous form. The meeting went to so well that Skacel continues to work for Haden even after he landed with the Steelers.
“That was really big,” Haden said. “That was when I was coming off double sports hernia surgeries. Being in the NFL as a receiver or corner, if you can’t run that’s going to be the first play out the door. So it helped my speed, my hamstrings, my groins. Four years ago was when I really started to take care of my body and be able to come into the season better than when I left.”
Haden missed five games with a fractured fibula in 2017, but he only missed one game a season ago. He said he feels better now than he did in his mid-20s.
The work off the field to better prepare his body paid off. If he plays out this contract, Haden will make more than money than Hall of Fame corner Champ Bailey and almost as much as future Hall of Famer Darrelle Revis.
He also is exactly where he wanted to be.
“I wanted to be here a lot,” he said.
Now that the contract is done, it’s full steam ahead to the regular season. The first game is six days away. It’s against New England, the defending Super Bowl champions.
Haden has only played the Patriots twice as a member of the Steelers, but both games were memorable. There was the infamous Jesse James game in 2017, a 27-24 loss that kept the Steelers from being the top seed in the AFC. Then there was the 17-10 victory in December at Heinz Field, a game Haden called his best game of the 2018 season. He had 12 tackles, two passes defended and an interception late in the game to help secure the victory.
“I know how this rivalry is,” Haden said. “It should be big. It will be good to see where we are to start off the season.”
Glad we gt him signed. Need to keep Hargrave next.