CLEVELAND — Last month, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Joe Haden will sign a one-day contract to retire as a member of the Cleveland Browns.
On Friday, the Browns made it official, announcing that they will honor the former Pro Bowl cornerback ahead of kickoff of their Monday Night Football matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 31.
“What made me want to retire as a Browns player was the city of Cleveland and the fans that I connected with,” the 33-year-old Haden told the Browns' official website. “I got drafted there at 21 years old. I was a kid, and I really feel like I grew up in Cleveland. Living in the city and the connection that I had with Browns fans was unbelievable.”
Selected out of Florida with the No. 7 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Haden's play was one of the few highlights during what was otherwise a dark period for Cleveland football. During his seven seasons with the Browns, Haden earned two Pro Bowl selections and was named a second-team All-Pro for the 2013 season.
In 90 career games in Cleveland, the Fort Washington, Maryland, native tallied 377 tackles, 101 pass defenses and 19 interceptions. In addition to his on-field performance, Haden became immensely popular for the way he embraced the city of Cleveland and could frequently be seen sitting courtside at Cavaliers games -- sometimes in full uniform -- even in the four years between LeBron James' departure for the Miami Heat and return in 2014.
While Haden was set to enter his eighth season with the Browns in 2017, he was unceremoniously released in training camp as the team embarked in an apparent rebuild. After being released by Cleveland, he signed with the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, with whom he played five seasons, tallying 238 tackles, 54 pass defenses and 10 interceptions, in addition to earning his third career Pro Bowl selection in 2019.