Fine Hartsville Native

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Haynesworth Is Suspended
Tennessee tackle draws a five-game penalty from the NFL for on-field attack of Dallas center Gurode.
By Sam Farmer, Times Staff Writer
October 3, 2006


The NFL struck back Monday, suspending Albert Haynesworth without pay for five games — a league record for an on-field offense — because of the Tennessee defensive tackle's attack on an opposing player.

Haynesworth was ejected from the Titans game against Dallas on Sunday for stomping on the head of Andre Gurode after he had stripped the Cowboys center of his helmet in flinging him to the ground at the conclusion of a play in the third quarter.
Gurode, lying on his side with his helmet ajar after a touchdown run by Julius Jones, was kicked by Haynesworth, who then twice raked his cleats across Gurode's face, opening wounds that required 30 stitches.

Haynesworth, a 6-foot-6, 320-pound fifth-year player from the University of Tennessee, was apologetic afterward, calling his actions "disgusting" and saying he deserved any sanctions that might be forthcoming from the league.

However, the suspension isn't his first, nor is this the first time he has been disciplined for kicking a player.

Haynesworth was benched by Tennessee Coach Jeff Fisher for disciplinary reasons in 2003, sitting out a game two days after a skirmish at practice with tackle Matt Martin. Earlier the same year, Haynesworth triggered a brawl during training camp when he kicked center Justin Hartwig.

Sunday's incident was so egregious that a spokesman for Nashville police said the department took the unusual step Monday of contacting the Cowboys and offering help if Gurode wanted to pursue criminal charges.

Calling the transgression "an inexcusable action," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell more than doubled the longest penalty previously mandated by the league, a two-game suspension in 1986 for Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Charles Martin for an unsportsmanlike hit on Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon. Haynesworth's is the league's first suspension in four years.

Haynesworth is not eligible to return until Nov. 19, when Tennessee plays at Philadelphia.

"I felt there needed to be some serious action taken from a discipline standpoint, and I believe that what the league has done right now is adequate," Fisher said.

Not everyone agrees. Beginning in the early-morning hours Monday — and coinciding with the website profootballtalk.com posting the phone number — the district attorney general's office in Nashville began receiving phone messages from NFL fans around the country demanding that legal action be taken against Haynesworth.

"One person asked if we'd decide to prosecute if we got enough phone calls," said Susan Niland, communications director. "It doesn't work that way. It isn't really a popularity contest."

Later in the day, Nashville police contacted the Cowboys to gauge their interest in filing a criminal complaint. Team officials indicated neither they nor Gurode were leaning in that direction.

"We wanted them to know that this department is ready to assist … in any action that Mr. Gurode wanted to initiate," said Don Aaron, spokesman for the Nashville Police Department.

Although criminal complaints stemming from actions that occur during games are rare, they are not unprecedented. Former Colorado Avalanche player Steve Moore sued Todd Bertuzzi of the Vancouver Canucks after a vicious punch from behind in an NHL game, but that case was dismissed last year by a Denver judge.

In 2004, former Oakland linebacker Bill Romanowski agreed to pay Raiders teammate Marcus Williams $415,000 in damages for a hit to the face during a practice drill in 2003. Williams suffered a broken eye socket that ended his career.

Gurode, who received stitches above his forehead and beneath his eye, did not return to the game after he was attacked.

"In all my years of football, this has never happened to me," said Gurode, who also said he hadn't been having any exchanges with Haynesworth that might have led to the episode. "I've never been kicked in the face like this, and I've never seen anybody else kick nobody in the face."

Haynesworth was remorseful after the game, telling reporters, "What I did out there was disgusting….

"I don't play dirty. I have respect for the game. What I feel like is I disgraced the game, disgraced my team and disgraced my last name."

In May, Smith County (Tenn.) police issued a warrant for Haynesworth's arrest after they received a complaint that while driving his car he had tried to run another driver off the road. Reckless endangerment charges were later dropped.


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Going to cost him nearly $500,000 in salary.