Joe Haden: ‘I’m having a blast’
Joe Haden’s eyes lit up, brighter and more radiant than the autumn sunshine glowing over the practice fields at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. And his smile was equally radiant, because Joe Haden was talking about his favorite subject.
“I love football,” Haden said. “I love playing football.”
Haden is in his 12th year in the NFL and his love for the game only has grown stronger as time has passed. He practices and plays with the same exuberance typically found in those who are just getting their feet wet in the business of professional football.
“I’m having a blast,” said Haden. “I’m having so much fun, just being on this team. Having great teammates is a blessing. They keep me young.”
Haden looked around at the practice fields, smiling more as his teammates made their way into the locker room after practice.
The locker room is a place he has walked around year after year handing out new pairs of Nike Air Jordans to his teammates, shoes he got through his contract with the brand, and it’s also a place where he has shown pictures of his sons and seen pictures of his teammate’s kids.
It’s a haven for the players, a place where they bond in way those who never have been in the environment
