Unequal Technologies, a provider of customized, concealed sports protection, signed Cleveland Browns All-Pro defensive back Joe Haden to a multi-year endorsement agreement.
Haden will wear the Viper Girdle for hip, thigh and tailbone protection, and the Unequal GYRO in his helmet. Haden chose to go all-in with Unequal’s advanced protection for training camp, preseason and as he suits up for the Browns’ 2014 NFL regular season. In addition to serving as an on-field brand ambassador, Haden will appear in in-store advertising campaigns at retail locations as well as engage in a social and digital program with Unequal.
The 25-year-old Haden, an All-American and member of the 2009 BCS National Championship team at Florida, was the Cleveland Browns first round draft pick in the 2010 NFL draft (no. 7 overall) and in 2013 received his first All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections as one of the league’s top cornerbacks. This offseason Haden agreed to a five-year, $68 million contract extension that will keep him in Cleveland through 2019.
Vocal in his support for head and concussion protection since a serious collision at Florida left him walking off the field to the wrong sideline, Haden sought out a technology that would keep him protected and performing on the gridiron at a high level.
“I’m very selective in the products I associate with and am always looking out for the latest innovations in technology,” said Haden. “Concussions are a serious issue in football today. With Unequal in my helmet and on my body, I’m wearing the best protective gear available and have the confidence to go out and compete at the highest level with less fear of injury. I want to do everything I can to be healthy when I leave the game, so I put Unequal in my helmet. No question.”
Haden will endorse Unequal’s entire line of sports protective gear including protection for the head, body, sole and custom uses. All Unequal distinctively green products use a patented, military-grade composite fortified with Kevlar® and Accelleron to absorb and disperse impact forces beyond the performance of any sports protection of similar weight or thickness. A recent independent, published report as well as medical opinions conclude that football helmets with Unequal predict a significantly lower risk of concussions.
“I believe in Unequal’s technology. It’s so thin and lightweight I can move how I want on the field. I want to get more people involved with this technology and safety,” said Haden.
“We’re excited to have Joe Haden a dynamic playmaker and one of the top defensive backs in football join the Unequal ranks heading into 2014,” said Unequal CEO Rob Vito. “Joe has extraordinary talent and a great mind for the game and his future. He recognizes the need for the best technology to keep him playing at the top level and is a perfect embodiment of the Unequal brand: resilient, confident and an all-out competitor. We look forward to working with Joe as he becomes a role model for other athletes looking to take protection into their own hands.”
