Albert Haynesworth isn’t worried if the Redskins don’t like that he’s working out elsewhere this offseason. In his mind, it’s what he must do — and that’s what he told new coach Mike Shanahan.
The defensive lineman was in town for the first day of workouts March 15, but that was his only appearance that week.
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“My thing is they pay me to play football,” Haynesworth told Sirius Radio’s Rich Gannon and Adam Schein. “As long as I’m dominating and being that great player then that’s all that matters. I mean, no matter how I get there, as long as they want me doing that then that’s what matters.”
Haynesworth said he met with Shanahan and explained why he wanted to work out elsewhere. He said his season did not meet his expectations and he wanted to work out with his own trainer, someone he’s worked with for the “last few years.” Haynesworth worked out mostly in Washington last offseason.
“I’m getting back to basics, what got me to be one of the top defensive guys in the NFL, and that’s what I plan on doing,” he said. “Nothing against them or whatever, but if I want to get back to being the best defensive tackle in the NFL, then I need to do this.”
Haynesworth also said that Shanahan did not have much of a reaction, which he said was a departure from last offseason.
“The thing I really like about him, man, he’s an awesome coach and even better person,” Haynesworth said, “Like, you can just go and talk to him and be honest with him and open up to him. He’ll talk to you and tell you everything. It’s unbelievable. It’s almost a different feel, it’s a completely different feel from last year with the coaches and stuff. So just talking to him, it was great. I mean, he said, ‘Well I don’t really agree with it but I respect you for telling me.’ So that’s kind of what it was.”
Haynesworth also talked about the move to a 3-4 front, a defense he’s never played. His teammates laugh when they think about what Haynesworth’s reaction would be if he had to play over the nose in this front. Why? Because they know him and know that it’s not what he would want. They’re right.
“Definitely end,” he said of the position he’d want to play. “Plus, you look at all the nose tackles in the NFL they’re all the same type guys. Like me, I’m 6’6”, 330, 340 pounds, whatever, and then most of those guys are short, stubbier, pretty much like stump type guys. So I don’t think I’m built to be a nose tackle to be honest.”
When Gannon, a former NFL quarterback (including a stint with the Redskins) suggested that Haynesworth might just be a better fit in a 4-3 defense as tackle and that he might not be a good fit for this defense, Haynesworth said, “Well, I don’t want to really say that. I mean, we’ve got a good coach and all that stuff. I’m just going to be, whatever they ask me to do, that’s what I’m going to do. I’m not going to be a distraction or anything so I’m just going to do what they ask me to do.”
