ASHBURN, Va. — Albert Haynesworth didn’t show. Teammates called him selfish. Now the Redskins want their money back.
The Redskins are going to see if they can recoup all or part of a $21 million bonus from the disgruntled two-time all-pro defensive tackle. The team decided to take the action after Haynesworth failed to report for a mandatory two-day minicamp Wednesday.
“Albert made a very selfish decision,” said linebacker London Fletcher, a respected veteran. “When you decide to play a team sport, you have to look at it and think about everybody involved in the situation. This is not golf, tennis, things like that, where it’s an all-about-you sport.”
Coach Mike Shanahan said he told Haynesworth in February that the Redskins would agree to release him and let him go to another team — in exchange for not paying him the $21 million bonus due April 1.
“Obviously, he took the check,” Shanahan said.
Shanahan’s options are limited. He could release Haynesworth, try to trade him, look through the nooks and crannies of contract legalese to see if there’s a way to get some of the bonus money back, or keep him on the Redskins’ roster and force another showdown when training camp opens July 29.
“We’ll make some decisions here shortly,” Shanahan said, without being specific.
No problems with Favre surgery
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Brett Favre’s doctor indicated his recent ankle surgery went well, and the quarterback has a few more weeks of rehabilitation before he’ll decide if he’ll return for a 20th NFL season.
Orthopedic surgeon James Andrews said there were no problems with last month’s arthroscopic procedure, which removed scar tissue and bone spurs from Favre’s left ankle.
“It went fine,” Andrews said. “He’s rehabbing and trying to decide what he’s going to do. I talked to him yesterday.”
Favre turns 41 in October. He has a contract with Minnesota that will pay him $13 million if he plays in the 2010 season. He has given few hints in the offseason, other than the surgery, which has led many in the Vikings organization to predict that he’ll be back.
“We’ve got a few more weeks of rehabbing,” Andrews said. “I think he hasn’t decided yet what he wants to do.”
Hixon out for season
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Giants receiver and kick returner Domenik Hixon was diagnosed with a season-ending knee injury, one day after getting hurt during practice.
Hixon’s injury was originally thought to be a simple hyperextension of the right knee, but an MRI revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the knee. He will undergo surgery in two to three weeks.
Seattle receivers on the mend
RENTON, Wash. — T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Deion Branch ran sprints up a grass hill and weaved through cones.
That final stage of recuperation — plus the words of Seahawks coach Pete Carroll — point to Seattle’s top veteran receivers being ready for the 2010 season.
“Certainly they’re going to be ready to go for (training) camp,” in late July, Carroll said.
Houshmandzadeh, Seattle’s leading receiver with 79 receptions last season, said he is about 85 percent recovered from offseason hernia surgery.
Branch is running routes again following his third knee surgery in two years, in late April.
Are you ready for more football?
NEW YORK — NFL and players union officials discussed adding two games to the regular season when they met for their first negotiating session since February.
Teams would still play a total of 20 exhibition plus regular-season games under the proposal. The league would go from four in the preseason and 16 in the regular season to two and 18. The earliest season with an expanded schedule would be 2012.
