Impact of a Scholarship: Joey Haynos

Joey Haynos excelled in several different sports growing up, but after receiving an offer to play football at the University of Maryland, which is near and dear to his family’s heart, he could not turn down the opportunity to be a Terp himself. 

Haynos grew up in Rockville, Maryland, where he played every sport imaginable; basketball, baseball, track, lacrosse, soccer, and, of course, football. Eventually, he had to narrow down his sports of focus and decided to stick with basketball and football at Gonzaga High School in D.C. 

He vividly remembers the moment where his journey to Maryland began. “It was my senior year, I switched over to tight end, we were playing Good Counsel and we were fortunate to have a really, really good team and a lot of good players.”

Coach Locksley, the running backs coach and recruiter for Maryland at the time, happened to be there scouting out another player. However, Haynos caught his eye after having one of his best games that day. 

Having a great interest in Haynos, Locksley spoke to Gonzaga’s athletic director and was soon introduced to Haynos’ grandfather sitting two seats away. They discussed his potential for a college football career and Locksley knew he could succeed as a Maryland student-athlete.

Although the chance to initially attend the university on a scholarship was not an option, Haynos was offered the opportunity to come on as a preferred walk-on. After much consideration with his father, they concluded Maryland was going to be the best, and was essentially the perfect fit.

Haynos will always remember the first time he stepped onto Maryland’s campus and his immediate motivation to become the best version of himself he could, in hopes to one day earn a scholarship and make the most out of his career as a college football player.

During his time at Maryland, Haynos cherishes the bond he had with his teammates and the close relationships he formed. 

“My freshman year, our team went to the Gator Bowl. Because I redshirted, I wasn’t able to travel, but a lot of the freshmen who stayed back and redshirted watched all the games together in a dorm room or a house. We got to watch our teammates excel and dream of what could be down the road,” Haynos said.

These memories also created long-lasting friendships for Haynos to carry with him after undergrad. He continues to stay in touch with Brendan McDermott, a former roommate, and teammate, along with Steve Suter and Todd Wike. He also enjoys keeping up with the whereabouts of the rest of his teammates through social media. 

“It’s a unique relationship that develops there; it’s kind of forged in fire. You’re going through all the same stuff together; no one can really relate to it except for you guys. It’s a real bond you create; it’s a shared experience that forms a lifelong bond,” Haynos said.

Coming into Maryland as a preferred walk-on allowed Haynos to further appreciate the benefits of the scholarship he received a year and a half later. 

“Getting the scholarship made me feel like I belong. It was very rewarding, and it was the first in a series of goals I set for myself that helped me progress and instill confidence in myself that I could do this.”

The scholarship also took financial pressure off Haynos and his family, allowing him to focus solely on academics and athletics. Not only did this ease his parents’ minds but it was also a sigh of relief for Haynos, knowing he did not have to dedicate time to finding a job in addition to his already chaotic schedule.

Haynos went on to play football at a professional level; it became even more clear to him the NFL consisted of the best of the best, and he needed to step up his game. “Adjusting to the speed and talent level in the NFL was really something; you had to be precise, fast, strong, and smart.” After climbing an uphill battle his entire football career, Haynos was used to those challenges and used it to his advantage to get to the level he needed to be.

He is very thankful for the coaching he received while in the ACC from Dwight Galt, the strength and conditioning coach, and Ray Rychleski, a tight end coach, both at the University of Maryland. “These guys pushed me to become who I was able to become and consistently drove me to take the next step in becoming a good football player,” Haynos says.

Haynos will never forget his first touchdown catch with the Dolphins. “I remember my buddy Sean Murphy, an offensive lineman for the Dolphins, came up to me after that catch and acknowledged how surreal it was that I just caught a touchdown in the NFL.” It was at that moment Haynos felt as if all his hard work had paid off, and he couldn’t wait for all the other rewarding moments to come.

After hanging up his cleats, Haynos has begun a life with a family of his own. He is now living in Kensington, Maryland, not far from where he grew up and is married with three daughters, an almost five-year-old, a three-year-old, and a three-month-old. “Life is hectic, but it’s fun,” Haynos mentions.

Haynos currently works as a Sales Representative for the company Stryker. In addition, Haynos and his friend are working to grow a company of their own, HMB roofing, where they take part in roof replacements.

The Terp alum enjoys watching the current team coached by Locksley as he was the man who made Haynos’ experience as a Maryland student-athlete all possible. 

“Coach Locksley is just salt of the earth. When you meet him, you know why he’s so good at recruiting because he’s not phony in any way, and he keeps it as real as can be; he’s the best.” Haynos is appreciative of the relationship he and his family has formed with Coach Locksley and the close ties they have kept alive for the last 18 years.

He hopes to continue bringing his family back to Maryland football games and show them what Maryland Pride is all about. “We were fortunate enough to have some friends with season tickets who invited us to several games, and I can’t wait to make more memories with my family there.”

As for advice for future Terps and all prospective college athletes, Haynos advises to never stop working hard as you always want to be ready for what opportunities are to come. “No matter how hard you think you’re working, there’s probably someone working harder,” Haynos says.

He is forever thankful for the donors who supported him through college and made his experience as a Maryland student-athlete the best it could be.