The NFL Players Association has filed a grievance for suspended Redskins defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth, union officials confirmed to Comcast SportsNet Washington on Thursday night.
The Redskinssuspended Haynesworth for four games on Dec. 7 for conduct detrimental to the team. The first game in the suspension was last weekend's 17-16 loss to Tampa Bay. Washington (5-8) plays Sunday at Dallas.
Haynesworth, who signed a seven-year, $100 million free-agent contract with Washington in 2008, stands to lose more than $847,000 in base salary, the amount of four game checks. The legitimacy of the suspension will be determined in arbitration.
Haynesworth struggled last year with the Redskins and has been a part-time player this season in Mike Shanahan's first year as head coach. Haynesworth proclaimed during the offseason his opposition to the Redskins' 3-4 defensive scheme.
Haynesworth's aversion to the 3-4 led to months of offseason drama. The Redskins offered to release him if he didn't take his $21 million contract bonus on April 1, but he accepted the money. He later asked to be traded, skipped offseason practices, needed 10 days to pass a training-camp conditioning test, traded verbal volleys with Shanahan and was well behind in learning the new scheme.
"Despite the club's numerous attempts to persuade Albert Haynesworth to abide by the terms of his contract, he has repeatedly refused to cooperate with our coaching staff in a variety of ways over an extended period of time," Shanahan said in a statement released by the team when the suspension was announced. "Among other things, he has consistently indicated to our defensive coaches that he refuses to play in our base defense or on first-down or second-down nickel situations. He has also refused to follow the instructions of our coaches both during weekly practices and during actual games as well.
"Yesterday, when Albert was at Redskin Park, he told our General Manager Bruce Allen that he (Haynesworth) would no longer speak with me. Although suspending any player is not a decision that a head coach enters into lightly, I believe the situation has reached the point where the club clearly has no alternative."
Haynesworth's agent, Chad Speck, said Redskins general manager Bruce Allen confirmed that the lineman had never received a written reprimand before his suspension, which likely will form the crux of the NFLPA's argument during the grievance process.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
