Mario Haggan was always quick to bring laughter and a smile to those around him. But the former Bulldog linebacker/defensive end wasn't as friendly to opposing offenses on the gridiron. Haggan (1999-2002) signed with the Bulldogs in 1998 and including his redshirt year, was part of three bowl games and a program that captured the SEC West crown in 1998.
Mario Haggan was always quick to bring laughter and a smile to those around him. But the former Bulldog linebacker/defensive end wasn't as friendly to opposing offenses on the gridiron. Haggan (1999-2002) signed with the Bulldogs in 1998 and including his redshirt year, was part of three bowl games and a program that captured the SEC West crown in 1998.
Haggan was a three-time All-SEC selection and his 359 career tackles still rank eighth-best in school history.
Following his productive college career, the Clarksdale native was selected in the seventh round by the Buffalo Bills in the 2003 NFL Draft.
For the past five seasons, Haggan has collected 79 career tackles with the Bills from his strong side linebacker position.
In the offseason, Haggan and his family (wife and three-year-old daughter) live in Dallas and Haggan's next career could land him in a broadcasting booth in the near future.
MSU CAREER
During his five years on campus, Haggan saw both ends of the spectrum.
He helped the Bulldogs to a 10-win season and a couple of bowl victories (1999 Peach Bowl and 2000 Independence Bowl), pacing one of the best defensive eras in school history.
"There were so many memories, man," said Haggan. "Always winning the Egg Bowl is a great memory and starting my first game. It was in 2000 and against Memphis and we came back and won that game. I had a great game that day, too.
"But when I look back, I remember all the friendships and chemistry we all had back then. Guys like Smoot and Donald Lee and Pork Chop, guys that are still playing today and playing well. Those were some fun times."
But Haggan's last two years were not as much fun. In his junior and senior campaigns, Haggan and the Bulldogs won only three games and were winless in the SEC in Haggan's senior campaign.
"It was definitely tough going from all that early success to the bad times," said Haggan. "When I first got there, I had guys like J.J., Randy Thomas and Reggie Kelly to look up to. All those guys worked so hard and were great leaders of the team. They were the ones that led us to the SEC Championship Game my first year (redshirted)."
And missing that leadership was a major reason for the losing seasons, said Haggan. But through it all, Haggan kept fighting and working the same.
"It was hard to end my career on such a losing note," said Haggan. "We didn't have guys that were team players, or enough of them. We had a lot of individual talent but guys that did not buy into the team concept. When you play as individuals, it matters nothing what talent you have.
"But during those years, I saw enough guys, guys like Donald Lee and Justin Griffith, still going hard and fighting. So that made my job easier, knowing I had to keep pushing on."
Haggan's first interest in Mississippi State actually started his sophomore season of high school. During one of State's summer camp is when Haggan started to entertain the thoughts of becoming a Bulldog on the next level.
"When I was in high school, I really loved State's defense and man, the way they flew around," said Haggan. "Then I remembered coming to State's football camp when I was a sophomore at Clarksdale. Coach Jim Thompkins - one of my favorite coach if not my most favorite - was coaching me that day and around me all day. He told me that when I became a Bulldog that he would be my coach.
"What he said stuck with me and stuck well with me. And when I was a senior and kinda struggling with my grades, Mississippi State stood by me the whole time while other schools backed off. I knew then that State was my new home and where I wanted to be."
Haggan also enjoyed his time playing for former MSU head coach Jackie Sherrill. And like other former Sherrill players have noted before, Haggan said most people didn't know the real Jackie Sherrill.
"I think so many people judged Coach Sherrill by what happened at Texas A&M," said Haggan. "Some people never let that go but he was a changed person at State. Coach Sherrill would always stand up for his players and protect them, through the good times and the troubled times. He knew how to get us going and fired up and his last couple of years at State really didn't show the coach and man he was.
"He took a lot of lightly-recruited players and transformed them into great players."
It has been a few years since Haggan was back on campus but he did manage to see the Bulldogs in person this season.
"It's been awhile," said Haggan. "With Buffalo's bye week, I was able to go and watch them play Louisiana Tech. But I have not been back to campus since 2005 and my last game I saw at State was in 2003.
"But I keep up with them every weekend. I will be Maroon and White 'till I die. I take some hits from my (Buffalo) teammates when they lose but I still stand proud. They need to get it going again but I am with them every step and a Bulldog to the end."
And he also keeps up with as many former teammates as possible, although that task gets harder and harder with each passing season.
"I am still best of friends with Justin Griffith and we talk almost daily," said Haggan. "And of course, Justin Jenkins is still my teammate and then I get to see other guys during the season and during the offseason. I talk to Smoot every month or so. But it gets harder to keep up with guys. Most of us now have families and stay busy. But I love talking to all those guys when I get a chance."
NFL CAREER
For the past five seasons, Haggan has played for Buffalo. After opening his professional career mainly on special teams, Haggan worked his way into the defensive rotation at strong side linebacker, totaling 24 tackles and one sack last season.
"Leaving college for the NFL was definitely a different experience," said Haggan. "I grew up in a small town in Mississippi - Clarksdale - and then went to another small town in Starkville. Once I left Mississippi State and went to the NFL, it was a different deal then."
Like all former college standouts, Haggan quickly found out that he was also in a business and not just a professional football league.
No longer was he the big fish in a small pond.
"I was playing with grown men who were playing to put food on the table for their families. I had to learn the NFL system in Buffalo and just battling for playing time is so tough. In high school and college, you are used to being 'The Man'. But it's a new game now, buddy.
"But I believe college really helped prepare me for that bridge to real life. It helped a lot with my adjustment period after college."
And last April, Haggan had to face another "adjustment" and it wasn't a pleasant detour.
Haggan was suspended for the first four games of the 2008 NFL season for failing the league's banned substance policy.
No, it wasn't for steroids but actually for a prohibited ingredient in an over-the-counter weight-loss product.
Haggan' suspension ends this week and he said he was planning to re-join the Bills in a week or so.
"It's definitely been tough, no doubt," said Haggan. "And it was my fault for not knowing what was in those supplements. I was taking an over-the-counter drug, actually trying to keep my weight down. But I was a first-time offender, got fined and suspended four games. It was a substance recently banned by the NFL even though a lot of us didn't know it until it was too late."
LIFE AFTER FOOTBALL
Anxiously awaiting his return to the NFL, Haggan fully realizes the day will come when he has to hang up his helmet and shoulder pads forever.
"I feel like I am well-prepared," said Haggan of life after football. "You never want that time to come, when you put football down for good. I am in my sixth year and already know it will be tough, especially when you see how tough it is for guys like Brett Favre to walk away after such a long career."
But Haggan already has a couple of career plans for life after the NFL.
"I want to have a broadcast career and I've done some things with broadcasting already," said Haggan. "I would say broadcasting is my first choice and coaching is a close second. I still have that dream of coming back to be the defensive coordinator at Mississippi State."
For those around Haggan at MSU - media and fans alike - it comes to no surprise that Haggan would be interested in the broadcast field. He was always a great interview and on occasions, would flip the interview around to where he was the guy wanting information.
In fact, Haggan has already jumpstarted his next career.
"I had a great opportunity to work at the TV station at Mississippi State and was an intern," said Haggan. "That really helped me get started. Now I have my own radio show in Buffalo and do some tv spot segmemts from the Bills' locker room for Channel 4 in Buffalo. I have also been to the NFL Broadcasting Boot Camp, doing all I can to boost my broadcast career, my second career so to speak."
Regardless if Haggan is calling football games for ESPN or CBS in the near future, his top priority in life is his family. Now a husband and father, Haggan spoke proudly of his family.
"It's the greatest feeling in the world," said Haggan of being a father. "When you wait for the right time, it is great to be a father. I would not trade it for anything in the world. My family means everything to me."
