Transcript of Browns CB Joe Haden's Unequal Technologies event interview with ESPN Cleveland

As Chris mentioned, Joe Haden has signed a multi-year endorsement agreement with Unequal® Technologies, the leading provider of customized, concealed sports protection. Joe attended a promotional event for Unequal on Monday and then made himself available to the media for interviews. He had some interesting things to say to Hooley & Jerod:

Q: "As the season approaches and you wind down here, it's 12 days away from training camp,  what are you looking forward to establish as one of the leaders on this football team?"

Haden: "I'm trying to just establish that mentality of that winning at the end of the games. You know, that's the only thing -- I talked to my boy Donte about it too -- the biggest thing I want to get established with this team is the fight, and the trying to change the mentality of, you know, instead of just trying to win by a touchdown I'm just trying to blow people out, trying to not let people score. Just a different mentality. And I think that with Whitner and with our new coaching staff, I mean, they're trying to embed that in everybody, I mean, it's just working out a lot. So I think just a go-hard mentality of us trying to finish off games."

Q: "Now Joe, a lot of people, rightfully so, are starting to recognize your merit and your worth as a cornerback. You've gotten a lot of attention, you're in the conversation as being one of the best corners in the game, what are you doing at this stage to, one, validate that and stay hungry when you're already getting the accolades and praises from your contemporaries?"

Haden: "Oh man...I love when I get this question 'cause it's so easy, you know. You always -- with me, I want to be the best cornerback in the game. Period. Hands down. Point blank. So, until I'm that, you know, I mean, it's so much more that I can do. And when I watch myself on film there's always stuff I critique in myself -- I'm my biggest -- I critique myself harder than my coaches do.

So when I come into the film, and I'm talking about:

'Did he say "Yeah, that was cool"?'

I'm like, 'Yeah, I gotta get there.'

'Yeah, but you know, you could do that a little bit better, but, I mean, that's, that's good.'

I want to make sure -- I like to push myself, and I know that we got players like Patrick Peterson, like Richard Sherman, like Darrelle Revis, Brent Grimes, they're out there covering and they make it so much easier for me to just get up and be like 'You know, I gotta keep grinding if I want to be the number one spot.' Because I know Richard Sherman's out playing, I know Patrick Peterson's still trying to get out, I know Revis, he's out there balling; so my opinion is I want to be the best in the game. Until I have everybody saying I'm the best, there's no reason why I could slow down, or chill, or be okay with what's going on. I mean, I'm super happy about like, you know, finally getting recognized and everything: I got my new contract and I was just like 'Joe, you builded it up to be, at the end of the day when I'm done playing ball, I want everybody to be like "Yeah, Joe was the best in the game when he played"'. Then, until you get [that], you can't stop. We haven't won anything yet, so I can't stop."

Q: "Yeah, Joe you talked about speaking to Donte Whitner. Another guy that's on the defensive side of the ball that's new to the team is Karlos Dansby...What type of, you know, conversations have you had with Karlos and just adding him to the team and the leadership, what does that mean for you guys going forward?"

Haden: "You know you can never have too much leadership, but the thing is, you can't have too much good leadership from ballers. When players are making plays and people are doing things that you can see out on the field, that's what makes them a leader and when Dansby's out there and you see him: he knows the game, he's really good at it, he's -- I call him 'Old Man Dansby'...'cause he just, you know, he has that like grown man older aura but he knows the game so well like a coach and I mean he could come in there and...he can get you motivated. Some people really have that and he's definitely one of those dudes."