Albert Haynesworth to younger self: 'Take less and stay in Tennessee where you belong'
Former NFL defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth hit the free-agency jackpot in 2009 when he signed a seven-year, $100-million contract with the Washington Redskins.
Haynesworth had hoped to come to a long-term agreement with the Tennessee Titans, with whom he spent the first seven seasons of his career, but instead followed the money. It's a decision he still regrets to this day.
In an open letter written to his younger self for The Players' Tribune, Haynesworth revealed that signing with the Redskins caused him to lose his passion for football.
If nothing else, listen to me on this, Albert: Do not leave the Tennessee Titans. Your defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is a mastermind. No matter how much I tell you this, you’ll probably never realize it until your career is over, but it’s true. You’re like a system quarterback. You thrive in a very specific scheme. When you hit free agency, the Washington Redskins are going to offer you $100 million. Everyone will talk about this (they won’t talk about the fact that most of that money is not guaranteed, or that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offered you $135 million). The $100 million will become a huge burden. Take less and stay in Tennessee where you belong.
Haynesworth also took issue with the way he was used in Washington:
... what people aren’t going to see is Mike Shanahan calling you into his office and saying, "Albert, we just want you to eat up space. All we want you to do is grab the center and let the linebackers run free."
You're going to look at this famous NFL head coach in total disbelief and say, "You want to pay me $100 million to grab the center?"
And he's going to say, with a straight face, "Albert, if you have more than one sack this season, I’m going to be pissed."
Haynesworth's tenure with the Redskins was a short one. He was traded to the New England Patriots in July 2011 before being placed on waivers four months later. He was picked up by the Bucs, but played just seven games for the team before being released.
While there's no guarantee things would've turned out any better for Haynesworth had he stayed in Tennessee, it's clear he isn't happy with the way his NFL career ended.