Cleveland Browns DB Joe Hadenhas been chosen by his teammates to receive the 2016 Ed Block Courage Award. The Ed Block Courage Award is given annually to a member of each of the 32 NFL teams who exemplifies the qualities of Ed Block, the former head athletic trainer of the Baltimore Colts, based on courage, compassion, commitment and community.
"Joe has battled for our team and his teammates this year both on and off the field, and his effort and leadership are clearly recognized by his teammates, who selected him as a team captain, as well as our the Ed Block Courage Award recipient," said Head Coach Hue Jackson. "Joe is one of the great veteran leaders in our locker room, and he has done a fantastic job of teaching, mentoring and serving as a role model for our players at the facility and through his community efforts throughout Cleveland."
"It is always special to be recognized in this league, especially when it is by your teammates and the guys you spend so much time with throughout the year," said Haden. "It was tough to not be out there with my teammates last year, and that was one of the main things that motivated me to work so hard this offseason and is what continues to motivate me every day."
Haden, who missed 11 games last season due to injury and was placed on injured reserve (concussion) for the team's final three games, leads the Browns with three interceptions this year, starting eight games and registering 29 tackles and nine passes defensed. Voted a captain by his teammates prior to the 2016 season, Haden has played in 86 career games with 77 starts. The two-time Pro Bowl selection's 19 interceptions are the most by any Browns player since 1999, while his 100 passes defensed rank first in the NFL since he was drafted No. 7 overall by Cleveland in the 2010 NFL Draft.
In March, Haden underwent surgery on his left ankle, which was injured in the Browns' 2015 Week 8 home game against the Arizona Cardinals. Haden started five games in 2015 and was inactive for eight games with various injuries; including a concussion, rib, finger and ankle injuries. He was placed on injured reserve on December 14, 2015 after not clearing the NFL's concussion protocol. Haden later cleared the league's protocol on January 12, 2016.
Haden is active in the Cleveland community through various initiatives, including the Browns' First and Ten volunteering campaign and the Cleveland Browns Foundation's commitment to education in Northeast Ohio.
Haden will be presented the 2016 Ed Block Courage Award Tuesday at the Providence House Annual Deck the House Benefit Auction at FirstEnergy Stadium, where the dinner program will begin at 6 p.m. OL Joe Thomas and his wife, Annie, will serve as honorary co-chairs for the event. Providence House has been the Cleveland Browns Courage House for Children since 1999.
Providence House fights to end child abuse and neglect by protecting at-risk children, empowering families in crisis and building safe communities for every child. For more information, visit www.provhouse.org.
The Browns are dedicated to #give10 through the team's First and Ten initiative. Launched in June 2014, the Cleveland Browns First and Ten campaign is the team's community program, established to inspire fans to volunteer in and help their communities throughout the world by volunteering for 10 hours each year. Through First and Ten, the Browns are the only NFL club to promote a long-term volunteering program that unifies the team and its entire fan base, with the goal of impacting every individual's city across the globe, as well as the franchise's local community. All Browns fans are encouraged to join the volunteering effort by signing the First and Ten pledge on the team's website and by sharing their stories with #give10. For more information, visit www.ClevelandBrowns.com/community.
The Cleveland Browns Foundation is dedicated to a solution-based, holistic approach to ensure Northeast Ohio youth receive the education and development they need as a foundation for independence and success. For more information, visit ClevelandBrowns.com/community.
Cleveland Browns Ed Block Courage Award winners:
1984 WR Willis Adams
1985 DE Carl Hairston
1986 TE Ozzie Newsome
1987 RB Earnest Byner
1988 LB Eddie Johnson
1989 T Cody Risien
1990 RB Kevin Mack
1991 CB Mark Harper
1992 WR Lawyer Tillman
1993 WR Patrick Rowe
1994 LB Carl Banks
1995 DB Bennie Thompson
1999 DE Derrick Alexander
2000 LB Jamir Miller
2001 OG Jeremy McKinney
2002 TE Mark Campbell
2003 DL Courtney Brown
2004 RB Lee Suggs
2005 LB Kenard Lang
2006 K Phil Dawson
2007 DB Gary Baxter
2008 WR Joe Jurevicius
2009 WR Mike Furrey
2010 LB Eric Barton
2011 LB D'Qwell Jackson
2012 P Reggie Hodges
2013 DB T.J. Ward
2014 DL Desmond Bryant
2015 OL Alex Mack
2016 DB Joe Haden
About Providence House
Providence House – Ohio's first crisis nursery – provides emergency shelter and care for children in crisis, newborn through age 10, who are at risk of abuse or neglect while offering family support services to strengthen and stabilize families long term. Visit www.provhouse.org for more information.
