Will Albert Haynesworth become Mike Shanahan’s greatest triumph?
Is that what we are watching unfold here?
Does the possibility, unlikely as it seemed just weeks ago, exist that Prince Albert will be on this Redskins roster for the entire season, and actually be a force for good?
I can’t believe I wrote those words.
After all the drama surrounding Haynesworth — after taking the $21 million bonus check, not reporting to minicamp and failing Shanahan’s fitness test in training camp — it seemed uncertain that he would be on the active roster for the first game of the season.
He was, but the prevailing opinion was that come the NFL trading deadline, Prince Albert would be moaning and groaning at a new address — especially after he was deactivated for the Houston game.
But after Haynesworth’s performance Sunday against the Eagles — by far his best this season and finally one with measurable impact — and his good behavior of late, could it be that Shanahan has pulled off a coaching miracle? Could it be that Shanahan — who drew a line in the sand for Prince Albert, saying if he wanted to be part of this team, he had to come over to the coach’s side — actually has accomplished the feat?
For the first time, there is reason to believe that while Haynesworth and Shanahan may not be doing dinner and cigars, they have reached a place where Haynesworth has decided he is better served by going along with the system than fighting the man.
He wasn’t Reggie White out there on Sunday against Philadelphia, but Haynesworth did stuff the run on occasion and created enough pressure and push back to put the Eagles offensive line in desperation mode, implementing their holding technique.
After the game, Haynesworth was typically delusional. “The more I get the play, I guess the more you’ll see,” he told reporters. “If you leave me out on the field a little bit longer, the more havoc I’ll create.”
Prince Albert created far more havoc off the field this year than he did all of last season on the field, when he was begging to be taken out more than complaining about getting more playing time.
But his disruption level is far less than what was expected at this stage of the Shanahan-Haynesworth war, and if he wants to believe he is the second coming of Reggie White, well, go ahead and have a party.
If Prince Albert can limit his post-game comments to those delusions — and continue to be effective and at times disruptive on the field, all within the new world order at Redskins Park — it may be the best coaching job Mike Shanahan has ever done.
Examiner columnist Thom Loverro is the co-host of “The Sports Fix” from noon to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on ESPN 980 and espn980.com. Contact him at [email protected]
