COLUMBUS, Ohio — Joe Haden was embarrassed. He was humbled. He was upset — mostly with himself.
Never had a young shutdown cornerback felt more defenseless than Haden did nine years ago this week. That’s when the NFL announced his four-game suspension for violating its substance abuse policy. He had tested positive for the stimulant Adderall, which he reportedly had used to stay up all night partying in Las Vegas during the offseason.
Haden had won a national title with the University of Florida, entered the league as the No. 7 overall selection in 2010 and excelled for a Browns’ franchise once notorious for squandering high draft picks.