Sources: Players went to Cerrato, Snyder and emasculated coach
ASHBURN – When Joe Gibbs coached the Redskins, the players knew where to go with complaints: to the captains or to Gibbs. That wasn’t true under fired coach Jim Zorn. And that’s one thing those who return say must change.
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“Guys would feel they could talk to someone else instead of talking to coach Zorn,” Redskins running back Rock Cartwright said. “When you have guys that feel like they have that power, then there is a bad apple in the bunch.”
The big complaint is that certain players would circumvent Zorn and the coaches by talking to former executive vice president Vinny Cerrato or owner Dan Snyder, multiple players said.
“We have rules guys and you have guideline guys,” Cartwright said. “Rules guys have to stick to the rules. Guideline guys, you go by your own guidelines and do what you want to do. … Everyone has to be rule guys.”
Teammate Renaldo Wynn said, “I’ll tell the young players that I wish they didn’t have to see some of the things they’ve seen.”
The sentiments revolved mostly around two players, several Redskins said: running back Clinton Portis and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.
One player described Portis as the “worst teammate” he’s ever had because of how little he practiced and how he came to training camp out of shape, among other reasons.
“Zorn would try to discipline him and he would go to the owner,” the player said. “Every time Zorn tried to discipline someone he [was emasculated] by the owner. No one respected his authority. The high-profile stars would go to the owner.”
They didn’t like that the players would be late to meetings or, in Haynesworth’s case, not play with injuries when others on the defense also were playing hurt. Haynesworth missed four games and left numerous others with various injuries.
Redskins end Phillip Daniels and others said they spoke to the players.
“You can’t come here and say, ‘I’m just gonna show up,'” Daniels said, without specifying a player. “It’s showing up and doing your job. Guys have to know that a new coach coming in, and a new GM, they won’t deal with that. You’ll have to be on time for everything.”
New executive vice president/general manager Bruce Allen said, “Obviously the head coach would be the leader and the questions will be answered by him in the future.”
