Jake Haener is serving quarterback realness. The New Orleans Saints’ rookie pass-thrower is going viral for his pre-season photoshoot, in which he channeled Derek Zoolander and went all Blue Steel on the photographer.
Catalog lewks for days, honey!
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 22, 2023
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 22, 2023
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 22, 2023
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 22, 2023
It’s awesome to see Haener, 24, break the mold and show some personality as a fresh-faced rookie. NFL teams usually operate as strict meritocracies with rookies at the bottom of the proverbial ladder.
But if Haener is going to be the lowest man on the totem pole, he might as well look good!
So pensive; yet so, so seductive.
The Saints traded up and selected Haener in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. After playing two seasons at Washington, he transferred to Fresno State, where he became the starter in 2020. Haener completed an impressive 68.2% of his passes for 9,180 yards, 68 touchdowns and 18 interceptions during his college career.
He was named to First Team All-Mountain West during his senior campaign, which shot up him up the draft boards. Haener was the sixth quarterback selected last month.
With veteran quarterback Derek Carr under center (who’s long been suspected of wearing eye-liner, by the way), Haener will likely spend the first couple seasons of his rookie learning the NFL game. Even though he’s only 6-feet tall–short for a quarterback–he has a strong arm.
“You wouldn’t think he was 6-foot tall when you watch him,” said Saints assistant general manager Jeff Ireland, via CBS Sports. “He’s got great processing ability. He’s got great vision. He’s got a quick stroke. He’s extremely smart. He’s a sixth-year senior, so he’s really mature for being a college senior.”
With that experience, Haener clearly knows the expectations that come along with being a QB.
Long considered the most handsome players in sports, researchers found there are various factors that play in our outsized perception of quarterbacks. One of them is the halo effect.
Quarterbacks are often considered to be intelligent, brave and confident. It’s what we look for in a man!
It also doesn’t hurt if they have a gorgeous face, and killer sense of humor.
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 22, 2023
end thread with a slight tongue reveal pic.twitter.com/fRztVgSxb3
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 22, 2023
With mini-camps opening across the NFL this spring, we’re going to see Haener model those pads real soon. Hopefully his sense of style follows him throughout his career.
Scroll down for some more pics of our new favorite QB…
Diplomat
FoK!
Diplomat
Queerty…I love all the musical notes in the background wallpaper. Vivid fresh very cool!
JTinToronto
Does he ever smile?
KellyRobinsonJr
Oh Yeah, This Atlanta Falcon fan is going to watch the Saints play…
liltomtom90
Looks like Joey Lawrence
Brian
The photographer did all the work. He himself did nothing and looks a little…. “special.”
skeldare
Gives off gay vibes
4Rjunior
Yes he does in a good way.
MSM
If he is gay, I hope he comes out. If he isn’t or doesn’t, he is still nice to look at. I wish him well in the NFL.