Redskins Suspend Haynesworth for Last Four Games Without Pay
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Aug. 21: Washington Redskins defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth is shown before an NFL preseason football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Landover, Md. (AP)
ASHBURN, Va. -- Defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth was suspended without pay by the Washington Redskins on Tuesday for the last four games of the regular season, capping a saga that began last offseason.
The move, which the Redskins announced was made because of "conduct detrimental to the club," comes after a long, difficult back-and-forth between Haynesworth, a two-time All-Pro with a $100 million contract, and first-year Washington head coach Mike Shanahan, who won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos.
Haynesworth skipped offseason workouts, boycotted a mandatory minicamp, needed 10 days to pass a conditioning test at training camp, did all he could to resist a change in the defensive scheme and then eventually became a part-time player.
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His main gripe has been that he shouldn't be playing nose tackle in a 3-4 defense.
The Redskins said general manager Bruce Allen told Haynesworth about the suspension Tuesday. Haynesworth was inactive for Washington's 31-7 loss at the New York Giants on Sunday, which dropped the Redskins to 5-7.
In the team's statement Tuesday, Shanahan is quoted as saying that Haynesworth "repeatedly refused to cooperate with our coaching staff in a variety of ways over an extended period of time."
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Shanahan also said Haynesworth "consistently indicated" to defensive coaches that he wouldn't play in certain defensive packages and refused to follow coaches' instructions in practice and during games.