There has been a strong push from the fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers throughout the off-season for the organization to bring back former fan favorite, cornerback Joe Haden. Haden spent the last five years with the franchise and was consistently the top cornerback on the roster. The team doesn't have a ton of depth at the position heading into the 2022 regular season and Haden could potentially be a great boost for the secondary. There is only one issue with that scenario and it is that the veteran defensive back allegedly had no interest in returning to wear the black and gold for another season.
Steelers former cornerback, Joe Haden (#23) gets introduced in Pittsburgh, PA in 2021. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers insider, Mark Kaboly released his 53-man roster predictions for the team on Monday morning. The writer brought up Haden when he was discussing the cornerback situation and mentioned something that many people were not aware of and it came off as a bit shocking:
"The Steelers, who weren’t interested in Joe Haden in the spring, reached out to him to gauge his interest and he had none," Kaboly wrote.
*UPDATE* Haden is disputing this report from Kaboly
Fake news!! They got @DrewJRosenhaus number!! https://t.co/IATvuJ7hjb
— Joe Haden (@joehaden23) August 29, 2022
The defense has several holes and needs to add depth in multiple positions including at cornerback, but the top three guys are pretty much set in stone. Cameron Sutton, Levi Wallace and Ahkello Witherspoon will be the starters and it's possible that Haden didn't like the situation he would be jumping into. Here are the main reasons why the veteran would not want to return:
Steelers cornerback, Cameron Sutton (#20). | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
1.) Steelers Have Their Starting Cornerbacks
The three guys mentioned above are going to be at the top of the depth chart come Week 1. The main assumption from Haden, or maybe it came up in conversation with the front office, probably is that he wouldn't be playing every snap on defense. The disconnect on the Steelers end could be promising a 33-year old Haden a key role on defense, although there are already three formidable players at the position.
2.) The Steelers Aren't Contenders In Haden's Mind
Haden has never played in a Super Bowl and this year, if signed, may be his last opportunity to do so. Most teams throughout the NFL need cornerback depth, but if Haden hasn't signed anywhere, it could be because the right team hasn't called. He very well might be awaiting, although not hoping for, a member of a contender to go down with an injury leading to a potential signing. He simply may not see the Steelers as a threat in the AFC.
3.) Haden Is Close To Announcing His Retirement
No one has put this on the table because there has been no formal announcement that Haden is stepping away from the game of football. The cornerback has had a great run the last 12 years in the league with 615 total tackles, 29 interceptions and six fumble recoveries. There have been few reports out there about teams being interested in him and that may just be the deciding factor that leads to him retiring. There isn't a fan of the league who would fault him for retiring and moving on to the next phase of his life.
Whatever the reason is, Kaboly's comments are quite shocking. It seemed as if Haden sincerely enjoyed his time in Pittsburgh and with the Steelers. Time will tell if he is hanging up his cleats or awaiting just the right call from a team in what would potentially be his final season.
Are you surprised that Haden apparently had no interest in returning to play for the Steelers? Let us know in the comments below!
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