Charles Haley had his ups and downs off the field during his playing career, but was able to handle them well enough to wind up in the Hall of Fame.
Haley is now trying to make sure current players avoid the downs and has counseled 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith to put his energy into football so he can avoid the issues that led him to be suspended for a large portion of last season. The 49ers asked Haley to deliver a similar message to their rookie class this offseason and Haley opted for “shock value” to reach players he says have the “attention span of a 5-year-old.