Former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback and current scout Ike Taylor shared his memories of linebacker Clark Haggans, who died earlier this week at the age of 46. On Taylor’s Bleav In Steelers podcast alongside co-host Mark Bergin, Taylor remembered Haggans as a selfless player on the field and a great teammate off it.
“Mr. I Care About Everybody,” Taylor told the show. “That’s all Clark Haggans was. Very selfless. Always cared about someone else. Every time Clark came into that weight room in that building, you’re like, ‘How the hell do you have all that energy in the morning?'”
Haggans and Taylor were starters on some tremendous Steelers defenses, helping the team win its 5th Super Bowl and break a decades-long drought, winning one for the thumb with their 2005 win over the Seattle Seahawks. Haggans’ play and contributions were overshadowed by players like Taylor, LBs James Farrior and Joey Porter, and SS Troy Polamalu, but he was a consistent and well-rounded player who did his job and did it well.
Taylor told the story of Haggans even helping him out in coverage, too.
“Clark was my outside linebacker when I started to start in the NFL. So he was always on my side. I used to tell Clark, ‘Hey man, on these deep comebacks by wide receivers, depending on the coverage, I need you go get out 18 yards so you can sit under so I can play the post’…Clark got all the way out there to the 18 every time. He spoiled me.”
Taylor told the story with a smile, saying most linebackers didn’t like to cover that much ground and preferred to stay in the box as much as possible. But Haggans helped provide underneath coverage that allowed Taylor to take away the deep ball, coverage working in harmony to shut down opposing offenses.
That was the framework of the Steelers’ defense, every unit strong and able to help out the other. The rush helped the coverage and vice versa and Pittsburgh collected a group of team-first players. That was especially needed during the team’s Super Bowl run, becoming the first #6 seed to hoist a Lombardi, winning all three of their playoff games on the road, including an upset win over the Indianapolis Colts’ potent offense. That day, they shut Manning down, a stark contrast to their regular-season matchup when he torched them for a pair of touchdowns in a blowout win.
Haggans and Taylor were teammates from 2003 to 2007 when Haggans left to sign with the Arizona Cardinals. But they’re cut from similar cloths. Talented college players who didn’t attend the big schools and were overlooked, each mid-round picks. Both beat the odds and played more than a decade in the league, Haggans 13 years, Taylor 12, and both became Super Bowl champions.
As Chris Hoke and other teammates have noted about Haggans, he brought a tremendous work ethic and the right attitude to build upon a winning Steelers culture. He maximized his game and it showed with that kind of staying power when the typical fifth-round pick lasts only a couple of seasons in the league.
“There’s a lot of very talented players in the NFL. And they take a day off. That man ain’t never take a day off,” Taylor said. “He really valued himself and felt lucky to be in the NFL.”
Taylor wrapped up the conversation with a strong and clear message following the news of Haggans’ death.
“We’re all fighting some kind of demons, someway, somehow,” he said. “It’s always good to check up on your brother or call them and say you love them.”
You can listen to Taylor’s full thoughts and their conversation about the current state of the Steelers ‘roster below.
