Orlando Brown Jr.'s 'Welcome to the NFL' moment came from a Steelers player nearly half his size

Every player in the NFL can hit hard, no matter the position he plays or how big he is.

Even at 6-8 and 345 pounds, former Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. learned this the hard way.

It was during his third-ever start in the NFL that his reality was checked by Joe Haden and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Brown explained during his guest appearance on the New Heights podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce that Haden hit him hard enough on a simple run play for him to remember it nearly six years later.

"We ran a toss crack. It was my third game, first Ravens-Steelers game, first series of the game, maybe second play, we call a toss crack to f*cking Joe Haden, and he hit me so f*cking hard," Brown said laughing. "He hit me right in my chest.

"Still to this day, that's the hardest hit I've ever received. That was my welcome to the NFL moment, like wow."

Low-man wins in the NFL. Haden, who played at 5-11 and 195 pounds, got right into Brown's chest and sent a physical and mental message with one blow.

Despite his lack of size compared to the mammoth of a man Brown already was, Haden was 29 years old and a nine-year veteran when Brown was a rookie. Nearly a decade of strength training at the NFL level and taking on blocks surely helped out Haden in that moment.

More important than anything else, Haden and the Steelers won that game, 23-16, after falling to the Ravens earlier in the year.

Haden got two wins in one day. Not bad for the three-time Pro Bowler.

Related: PFF says Pittsburgh Steelers landed one of the biggest steals of the 2024 NFL Draft