With Redskins coach Mike Shanahan arguably punishing defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth for failing to participate in the team’s voluntary offseason program, the next question becomes when -- or if -- the NFL Players Association will get involved.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement prevents retaliation against players who opt not to volunteer to work for free (but for the per diem) in the offseason, and the union has been much more aggressive of late in taking on abuses of the offseason workout rules.
As to Haynesworth, an NFLPA source tells us that the union is monitoring the situation closely, but that no action will be taken at this time.
Despite somewhat popular misconceptions that the union can push a grievance without the affected player’s approval or involvement, nothing can happen unless the player initiates the process.
Currently, it’s unknown whether Haynesworth will file a grievance regarding Shanahan’s tactics. But nothing about this situation will surprise us, and at this point anything other than further escalation would be an upset.