©
By Joseph White
ASHBURN
Phillip Daniels' emotions swelled to the point that the Washington Redskins' veteran defensive lineman had to stop and gather himself as he spoke about Albert Haynesworth.
When Daniels resumed, the words were candid and stern.
"I've been through 15 seasons and I ain't won (anything). So what I'm saying is if I can come out here and do this, don't tell me that you can't do it," Daniels said Monday. "I want every guy on this team to do well. I want you to realize that if you ain't all in, you don't need to be here.
"That's my point. I'm tired of going through season after season where we lose games that we should win, guys not doing the right thing, guys not putting the best effort in, whatever it may be. I'm tried of that, man. We deserve better."
The Redskins have a Haynesworth headache that won't go away, even in December with Washington (5-7) essentially out of the playoff picture and morphing into wait'll-next-year mode.
The two-time All-Pro who skipped offseason workouts, boycotted a mandatory minicamp, needed 10 days to pass a conditioning test at training camp and did all he could to resist a change in the defensive scheme apparently got sick last week.
He didn't have a good practice Thursday, according to coach Mike Shanahan, then was limited Friday because of the unspecified illness.
Shanahan thus decided to make Haynesworth inactive for Sunday's game against the New York Giants, but the coach didn't let the decision be known until shortly before kickoff. The move created a distraction in the locker room.
"It's always something else," Daniels said. "I just wish the team could stay focused and not worry about things like this. When I come to the locker room on game day, I expect guys to be ready to go and play. I don't expect to get a surprise. ... At the same time I can understand why it happened. I'm not questioning the coach's decision at all."
Shanahan said Monday he plans to meet with Haynesworth and won't discuss anything about the matter until Wednesday, after the meeting has taken place.
The coach declined to say whether Haynesworth will remain on the roster for the rest of the season.
Daniels said the distractions involving Haynesworth are "not healthy" for the team and that it "drags you down."
Daniels also cited a slogan from college - "Big team, little me" - and said that's the part Haynesworth doesn't get.
"That's what I go out there and play for every day - my teammates," Daniels said. "And I think that's the part of the game that really skipped by him."
Daniels said he supported Shanahan's decision because it put the team first.
"He's not going to let one guy, one person, come in here and destroy what we have," Daniels said.
"You put the team first when you think about the future and things that we've got to do. If you don't practice, you don't play - and that's putting the team first."
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Deeper Problems
Their problems are deeper than Haynesworth.
Snyder's to blame
as much as anyone.
You sign a guy with questionable character and work habits, pay him more than anyone else in the league, way more than anyone's worth and what do you get? A guy who only cares about only about himself because he's been convinced that he deserves everyone to bow down before him.
Learn some lessons Danny boy before you totally destroy a once proud organization and run off all of your fans.
Better yet, sell it to someone who will let the football people make the decisions.
At least Shanahan is willing to show Haynesworth who is boss.
it's the contract structure
As long as NFL teams keep rewarding these large contracts with ridiculous gaurantee clauses, this will continue. With the money guaranteed, the players have far less incentive to perform on the field(e.g. Haynesworth). BTW, McNabb was much better in Philly because he feared the jeers and boos of the Philly fans. Redskins fans used to be as obnoxious and classless as Philly fans, but they've become a quieter, gentler fan base in recent years. Maybe it's because they haven't won anything in a long time, or maybe it's just a reflection on the owner...
cancer
This thug (Haynesworth)is a cancer to the team from day 1. He's a Randy Moss who thinks the teams revolves around him and an arrogant fool. By the way previous commenter-Haynesworth is not a reciever and McNabb does suck.
Kenny Duck is on-point
Kenny, good call.. inspite of Haynesworth's talents, hes been a drag on the team, and an on-going locker room distraction.. at 5-7, there are no results to justify the Haynesworth & McNabb contracts.. Honestly, why do you sign a QB in his mid-thirties, who is hovering below .500 to a long-term contract ?
In my opinion, ever since Dan Snyder took over this franchise, it's been amateur hour. They should take a chance & start developing a young franchise QB and a young solid O-Line, building around a QB who is fading into mediocrity, and a lunatic like Haynesworth isnt working.
Where is Donald Thrump when you need him?
Haynesworth needs to be put in time out until his contract is up. But that is what happens to many NFL players,they get a multi-million dollars contract to play and they give $1.95 worth of playing on the field back to the team. Haynesworth is the type of guy who makes millions but will be poor in 5 yeaars, but he is not the only player, how many times in one game have we see passes missed that should have been caught? When does the owner get it in his rich young head? it's not the coach, it's the players they need to get rid of. McNabb is good QB, not a great one as we have seen on other NFL teams. To be fair to McNabb, when he does throw a on the money ball, he needs someone who are able to catch it. Shame Haynesworth can't be voted off.