(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
CB Joe Haden retirement press conference:
Haslam Sports Group Executive Vice President/Partner JW Johnson:
“Good morning. What a great, great and special day it is here in Cleveland. Thrilled to have the great Joe Haden back in town and happy for him to start and end his illustrious career here with the Cleveland Browns. As you all know, Joe has been a class act on and off the field. He was the seventh overall pick in the 2010 draft out of the University of Florida – a big game today against the Georgia Bulldogs. In his 90 games here with us, he had 19 picks and was just a true pro on and off the field. We couldn’t be more excited to have Joe back here. Joe was also great in the community in donating his time to (Greater) Cleveland Food Bank and Special Olympics and was always engaged in the city. Usually, you would find him front row at the Cavs games, and I am sure we might see him there Sunday night as they take on the (New York) Knicks so look forward to seeing you there. This family and this organization is beyond thrilled to have you and grateful for you to retire as a Cleveland Brown. We have said this to all of our current players and past players, once a Brown, always a Brown. We are so happy that you are retiring today with us and look forward to you being a big part of this team going forward. Thank you, and congratulations.”
On the importance of retiring as a Cleveland Brown:
“The main thing is basically I was drafted here, and the city embraced me when I was a kid. I came here, I was just fresh 21 years old, didn’t have any kids and I wasn’t married at the time, and just the city embraced me, and they showed me so much love. Like you said, the Cavs games, I am going to definitely be there Sunday, and the Indians (Guardians). I just grew up here. It just was a spot that showed me so much, and I kind of wanted to reciprocate that love. It just finally feels like where I grew up, and this is the place where I want to end my career.”
On if he will be covering Bengals WRs Tyler Boyd or Tee Higgins on Monday:
“I said that is why I was going to be ending my career because I do not feel like covering those dudes honestly (laughter).”
On how much he misses playing:
“I definitely do miss it, just watching the games, seeing what is going on, having friends out there who are still playing and playing the game my entire life and that is all I know. Definitely always has that piece, but then when I am seeing my dudes going down, and seeing injuries, ‘Joe, there is another corner gone,’ and I am like, ‘Do you think that makes me want to come back more (laughter)?’ Just knowing that it is a game that I love to play, but now it is a lot of other things. I have my kids over there, I have my wife and I have my family. It is just 12 years that was an amazing time of playing the game, but I can see the bright side on the other side.”
On what first came to his mind when he entered CrossCountry Mortgage Campus this morning:
“Just memories of my teammates. The first thing I thought about was Big Phil, (former Browns DT) Phil Taylor, I thought of (former Browns S) T.J. Ward, I thought of (former Browns CB) Buster Skrine and I thought of (former Browns S Tashaun) Gipson. I thought about the dudes that I was here with having so much fun and just walking through these halls, going to the practice fields and just the battles we went into.”
On his post-playing career plans:
“I am doing a little bit of relaxing and a little bit of golfing – I might go pro (laughter). Working on my handicap. Definitely golfing with JR (Smith) – that is one of my really good friends out there in LA. I am doing a little broadcasting. I think that is definitely something that I am interested in and have a passion for. I love the game. I want to stay around it. I love talking about. I feel like I have a pretty good perspective of what is going on so I think that will be something special.”
On how he became such a big part of the Cleveland community and a big Cleveland sports fans when first coming to the city:
“I was always a big fan of basketball, and I was a big fan of sports in general. Cleveland loved their teams so much so it was kind of really easy for me to fall into that, too. Then when (former Cavaliers and Brooklyn Nets PG) Kyrie (Irving) was drafted and when (former Cavs and NBA free agent C) Tristian (Thompson) were drafted, it made it a lot easier when you really have friends on the team that you really want to support and you want them to do well. It just kind of just rolled on. Now, they have (Cavs G) Donovan Mitchell. I am here. I am ready to see that.”
On playing for the Steelers after his time with the Browns and if there ever was a feeling of confliction of playing for two teams within a rivalry:
“It was different, especially just from the way that the city loves and embraces their team, and I have no hard feelings. I think the hardest part was like my first game coming here and getting booed by Cleveland so hard, and I am like it is what it is. I definitely didn’t expect to get the loudest of a cheer. That was kind of one of the things that it is a business so I have to kind of do what I have to do, but at the same time, I understand exactly where they were coming from.”
On what was it like when learning the Browns were releasing him:
“Oh man, that was a tough day. Walking around and a lot of the people who are here now were here during that day. They were like, ‘Joe, I remember. It feels like it was yesterday. You being back and you are bringing your wife and your kids, and you have two little boys with you.’ That was a time where I never thought I would be playing for another team but here. When I got that call and they told me they were going to release me, it was a humbling experience and then it kind of just puts the whole the NFL is a business into my eyes because there was just no way I am not going to be playing for the Browns.”
On if it was gratifying to have success with the Steelers after his time with the Browns:
“1,000 percent, and when you know you have some ball left in you and injuries, that is the crazy part about the league. When you are six years in, and people are starting to get like, ‘Man, is this dude injury prone?’ Being able to go five more years and being able to play and just have that longevity, it felt good for me to be able to feel like I could still go out there because I knew I still had good ball in me.”
On what makes playing for the Browns so special:
“I think it was the fact that during the times, you have a lot of fans that if you lose they are not going to like you, but the understanding of that effort that you give. They love the (Browns Legend T) Joe Thomas, they love the (Browns Legend LB) D’Qwell Jackson and the guys who at the end of the day, even if you aren’t winning, you are giving your all, you are trying your best, you are being a professional and you are being a professional about your job. I think just the respect of a lot of them just understanding like maybe it might not be the coaching staff but it is not your effort. I think just understanding that they had love and they respected what we were doing kind of made me feel like, ‘I can dig it. I can feel you.’”
On his favorite memory as a Brown:
“My favorite memory as a Cleveland Brown is when I was playing against (former Bengals and Saints QB) Andy Dalton and I had two picks. We beat Cincinnati and I had a pick and a pick-six.” )Browns at Bengals, 41-20, Nov. 17, 2013)
On if he has received any advice from teammate and Browns Legend T Joe Thomas about working in the TV industry:
“Not yet. Not yet. I am definitely going to be in his ear about it for sure, though.”
On how he might be involved with the Browns moving forward:
“I don’t know. That is a good idea. I am going to talk to these guys after, and we are going to figure something out. Now having more time and being retired, I have time to do things now so I am going back to Florida, I am going to be coming to some games and bringing my kids to Cavs games. Just being able to kind of move around feels good.”
On planning to spend more time in Cleveland during retirement:
“We are L.A. based because my kids go to school there, but the Cavs are my favorite basketball team, stamped.”
On when he decided to retire:
“I made the decision probably about a week before the season started or maybe the first game of the season honestly. I was working out the whole offseason. I had no intentions of retiring, but I had a number kind of in my head. I wasn’t going to do league minimum – I could have signed with 13 teams for the league minimum – but it wasn’t something that was [going to do]. I have my kids. I have my health. I know what I can bring to the table. I know I am not going to be the $22 million paid corner, but I am not going to be the $2 million paid corner. Just having that realization and knowing what I have done for my body and what I felt like my worth was, when it didn’t come to that, I am like, ‘I can really step away happy right now.’”
On CB Martin Emerson Jr. growing up looking up to him and him being an influence to playing CB:
“I saw the video on Rich Eisen. It was so sweet. I want to hug this dude as soon as I see him. He was so nice. That was sweet.”
On having the opportunity to talk with Emerson later today and having the ability to support Emerson:
“1,000 percent. Stuff like that, that makes me feel good. I said it on Rich Eisen. He said, ‘How do you feel about that. I said, ‘I just want to hug him.’ That is what I do it for – for just trying to motivate and trying to make people see that if you look up to what I do, I really, really appreciate it. I can’t wait to go see him and tell him that I appreciate his kind words.”