The Joe Haden hype intensifies.
Haden, 30, enters his third season with the Steelers as the team's No. 1 cornerback. Last season, he led the team with two interceptions and provided a reliable, constant presence locking down opponents' top receivers on the outside.
That said, Haden is 30, and that's cause for concern in the eyes of many. At some point, his speed and agility will decline, and that's a death sentence for a cornerback in the NFL.
Don't count his trainer, Rischad Whitfield, known online as "The Footwork King", among those expecting any sort of decline from Haden. Quite the opposite, really.
"Joe will have [his] best season this year. Guarantee it," Whitfield said in an interview with BehindTheSteelCurtain.com. "People have to take in consideration that age doesn’t mean anything when you have the work ethic and mentality of some like Joe. I train a lot of DB’s who are in their first (or) second year of the NFL and I will honestly say that Joe moves just as well as them. Plus, he still can hold his top-end speed. See, Joe is a seasoned veteran, so he knows and (he's) been playing this game for a while. That right there alone makes him better than any of these young DB’s. Also, Joe is in phenomenal shape. He’s packed on a lot of lean muscle mass and his conditioning is above great. He never gets tired. I’m excited to watch him this season."
To Whitfield, who also trains elite athletes — Xavien Howard and Odell Beckham, Jr., among others — none of this concerning Haden comes as a surprise. From day one, Whitfield said, Haden proved he was a professional, bringing the mental skills to work to back up his physical attributes on a daily basis.
"As soon as Joe introduced himself to me and shook my hand, I automatically knew that his mindset was that of someone who wants to be great," Whitfield said. "His work ethic instantly showed me the strength of his character. He’s just an all-around positive person. Joe desired this season to be the best cornerback in the league and to win every match-up he has against whomever the WR may be at all times. He speaks so highly of the Steelers organization and loves Coach Tomlin."
The Steelers ranked 28th in the league with just eight interceptions last season, and generating more turnovers has been a strong and obvious emphasis for the team in 2019. The results have shown throughout OTAs, minicamp and training camp in Latrobe, Pa. Now, it's up to veterans like Haden to work alongside fresh faces such as Steven Nelson, Devin Bush and Mark Barron to keep the momentum rolling.
If Whitfield's analysis holds true, Steelers fans might just be in for a pleasant surprise heading into the 2019 regular season.
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