Charles Haley
Charles Haley
Linebacker - Defensive End

Charles Haley

"I'm definitely a character. I've got a case of crazy." - Charles Haley

In the 1980s and 90s, there was no bigger winner in professional football than Charles Haley, a Hall of Famer who was part of two separate dynasties. A fourth round draft pick out of James Madison in 1986, the 6-foot-5, 255 pound Haley became a dominant pass rusher who won two Super Bowls as a linebacker with the 49ers and three Super Bowls as a defensive end with Dallas, making him the first player to win five Super Bowls. Off the field, Haley was as unpredictable and complex as any NFL player. He could be a jokester one minute and sullen the next; showing leadership one instant, and having an emotional meltdown soon after. Haley’s erratic behavior, like punching through a glass window in 1991, led to his trade from the 49ers to the Cowboys. Unarguable, though, was Haley’s extraordinary football intelligence and passion for the sport that helped him become a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro. Since retiring in 1999 with over 100 career sacks, Haley has received treatment for bipolar disorder, done charity work for low-income students, and mentored high school football players.