Justice Haynes Pursues Football Dreams with Rigorous Routine

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Justice Haynes is determined to make his football dreams a reality. The junior running back at the University of Michigan is following in the footsteps of his father, Verron Haynes, a Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers. At just 1 year old, Justice watched his father win the big game, and now, 19 years later, he is building his own legacy.

Justice’s childhood room is filled with sticky notes, each representing a goal or dream he has for his football career. “One of the things that I always preached was, it’s only a dream till you put it on paper — then it becomes a goal,” Verron told The Michigan Daily. Many of those goals, from graduating college in three years to excelling on the field, are being checked off as Justice works diligently.

From a young age, Justice learned the value of a strong work ethic and competitiveness from his father. “That’s something my dad instilled in me, never be outworked,” he shared. The lessons learned from Verron shape Justice’s daily routine and approach to football. He starts each day with eight hours of sleep and begins his morning by exchanging texts with his father.

Verron wanted Justice to pursue football for the right reasons, not just because he was a player. At first, Justice wasn’t fully committed until a pivotal game opened his eyes to the hard work required. “He might have had a bad game, didn’t have the results that he wanted, but then he understood that he had to put in the work,” Verron explained.

Once committed, Justice trained rigorously, soaking in all the fundamentals and mental strategies from his father. With family support, Justice transitioned to high school football, first at Blessed Trinity and later at Buford High School, where his coach, Bryant Appling, recognized his determination and skills. “He treated us like men,” Justice noted about Appling’s coaching style.

Justice’s high school experience at Buford prepared him well for college football. He quickly made an impact and showcased his unwavering work ethic. “He always had his notebook from the week, every note he took in meetings,” Appling recalled.

After high school, Justice initially committed to Alabama to work under coach Nick Saban. However, a coaching transition led him to re-evaluate, ultimately landing him at Michigan. “I feel like it’s my ability and my freedom of will to go out there and do everything in my power to possibly do that, and then let the chips fall where they fall,” Justice explained.

Now set to make his debut against New Mexico, Justice remains focused on his goals. He embraces the support of his family, including his mother and grandmothers, who push him to achieve his dreams. As he looks at the sticky notes still on his wall, Justice is not only driven to succeed but also grateful for the journey that has brought him to this point.

“I want to go down as one of the greatest to ever play this game,” he said, underscoring his commitment to hard work and self-belief.