After acing the first part of his conditioning test Thursday at Redskins Park, Albert Haynesworth apparently couldn't complete the second portion -- because he had to use the bathroom.
That's the word from the Washington Post's Jason Reid, who said Haynesworth was forced to start the second half of his test over after stopping halfway through for a lavatory break. Once the break was over, apparently so was Haynesworth's stamina.
The tests were shuttle runs consisting of running of 25 yards down and back six times within a specified amount of time and then repeating the set of six, tight end Chris Cooley told News4's Dan Hellie. Haynesworth's bathroom break meant after his first set of six, he was asked to do two more for a total of three sets of six.
"It's hard for a big guy," Cooley said.
"That test is tough for a lot of people," Philip Daniels said. "Look at Baltimore; they had guys fail it. That's no big deal. He'll be back on the field soon and we'll be good to go."
So where does that leave the $100 million disgruntled employee? Haynesworth will be hanging with the trainers and will try again to pass the test. He can't participate in camp until he does, but Cooley's confident he'll make the grade Friday.
And even when he does join his teammates, head coach Mike Shanahan said he'll be working with the reserves and not the starters.
"Albert was first class all the way and understood where I was coming from," Shanahan said after practice. "He understands that he has to be at a certain level to go out on the field and practice with the rest of our football team. If he gets there, he'll be with us. If he doesn't, then he won't."
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Haynesworth was back on the field after the team practiced Thursday afternoon with defensive coordinator Jim Haslett and defensive line coach Jacob Burney going over the 3-4 defense. Since he couldn't work out with his teammates, the coaches substituted trash cans as offensive linemen as they explained his role in the defense.
Haynesworth, as you probably know, isn't a happy camper after finding out in the offseason that his role in Shanahan's new defense would change. The team wants him to play more of a nose guard role in the 3-4 scheme, meaning he'd be plugging holes and taking up space instead of racking up sacks.
So what did the man who signed a $100 million deal before last season do? He skipped the team's offseason workouts, including the mandatory minicamp. And he allegedly lost about 40 pounds, something nose guards tend NOT to do.
Haynesworth showed up Thursday at Redskins Park, if for no other reason than he wants to keep his money.
But was he 40 pounds lighter? Haslett's not buying it.
"I'll say this, someone said to me he lost 40 pounds, and I said, 'From what?'" Haslett joked on Wednesday.
But all joking aside, Haslett believes Haynesworth can succeed in the team's new system. He just has to give it a try.
"Players get in a comfort zone sometimes, and he's been playing in the same scheme for some time," Haslett said. "But this is something different. Something new. I think once he gets into it, and once he sees what we're doing, he's going to like it. I think he'll flourish in it. He's an athletic kid and we can put him in some spots to use his athleticism. I think he's going to be good at it, but he's got to obviously be willing to do it."
