Joe Haden Reveals The Secret Behind Steelers' Legendary Wide Receiver Antonio Brown's Greatness

The Pittsburgh Steelers were one of the most exciting teams to watch in the NFL during the 2010s, and that was mainly because of the offensive firepower that was on the roster. Ben Roethlisberger was still one of the best quarterbacks in the league, Le'Veon Bell was one of the most effective and versatile running backs, and Antonio Brown was the best wide receiver in the NFL. That was an offense that was hard to stop, although the group was never able to get past the AFC Championship Game. 

Although the offense had a lot of stardom in Pittsburgh, it never quite reached the mountain top and it eventually fell apart. However, the years where the three stars were together were extremely special. Former Cleveland Browns and Steelers cornerback Joe Haden was recently on Johnny Manziel's podcast, Glory Daze. The two former teammates spoke about their time together in Cleveland, and Manziel asked Haden who the hardest wide receiver he ever had to guard was.

"AB's number one." Haden immediately said. "He's number one. I think it was the simple fact though too of his quickness, his releases. He's not the fastest guy, but he's not slow by any means. I mean his 40 might not be the fastest, but he has to be running 4.3 on the field. Quickness is unbelievable. You're not going to jam him on the line, you're not going to get hands on him. The toe tap on the sideline, if it's in his area on the sideline, he's caught it. He's in bounds. Both feet are in somehow."

Haden had the pleasure of matching up with Brown while he was with Cleveland from 2010 through 2016, and the two were then teammates during the 2017 and 2018 seasons in Pittsburgh. It is quite possible that Haden knows Brown better than any other defensive back in the NFL from that time, as he faced him twice a season with the Browns and then everyday in practice.

A wide receiver can typically only be as good as his quarterback, which is what made Roethlisberger and Brown such a lethal duo. They were great at playing to one another's strengths, as Roethlisberger was often able to keep plays alive and Brown was great at getting open in the scramble drill. Haden detailed how the two played well together, and how it benefitted the offense as a whole.

"Then I think the other thing that kind of helped him out and made it more difficult for me is he was with Big Ben." Haden said. "Those sevens years, extending plays. You jump a comeback, and it was a comeback, but Big Ben throw somebody off of him and now it's a comeback and go and you get bombed."

Roethlisberger doesn't often get a lot of credit for how good he was at the quarterback position. He was overshadowed by other quarterback throughout the league that played during the same time as him, but Haden was able to shed some light on how truly great he was. He was a big part of Brown's success on the field, and the former Pittsburgh wide receiver knows that. 

Steelers Really Benefitted From Adding Joe Haden

The main reason the high-powered offense of Roethlisberger, Bell, and Brown was never able to get over the hump was because of the lackluster defense the Steelers always had on the field. The secondary was atrocious thanks to a couple of bad high draft picks, which is why Pittsburgh went out and got Haden in 2017. 

The Browns were trying to trade Haden ahead of the 2017 season during training camp, and the organization also tried to get him to take a reduced salary. The cornerback refused, and he wound up being released. He was quickly signed to a three-year deal by the Steelers, and he was a mainstay on the defense through the 2020 season. He provided a necessary boost to the secondary, and he even made the Pro-Bowl in 2019.

What do you think about Haden's comments on Brown? Let us know in the comments below!

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