Albert Haynesworth: “You gotta have that fiery temper [in football], but it may cost you too. It cost me $1.1 million… I was so enraged it really was like a blackout of what happened. Then I’m watching it on the TV in our locker room and I’m like ‘ohhh, Goddd almighty.’ Why I know I lost it is because one, he [Andre Gurode] chopped me, which is kind of a part of football I guess or whatever, but he tried to blindside chop me. Then I was like ‘dude, you can’t block me straight up?’ and then he said ‘No, I’m trying to put you’re a** out.’ So that was like I’m INTENTIONALLY trying to hurt you, so that was like a switch. Then I tell my coach on the sideline and he’s wild and crazy, ya know, [Jim] Washburn, and he’s like ‘yeah, you better get that [expletive]!’ So I kind of went into this blank. I don’t remember halftime, I don’t remember anything, it was literally like this rage, and I remember seeing him on the ground and I was like ‘I’m going to get you back.’ He was trying to end my career. The way he chopped me, the way my leg was planted it could have blown my knee out. I just couldn’t believe it. And we’ve [Andre Gurode] talked many, many times and are friends now, and he didn’t even remember saying that. We’re just so into the passion of football, and he was like ‘bro, I never was like that and I can’t believe I said that.’ I was like ‘Yeah, bro, it made me just go into a rage.'” (Full Interview Above)
Former NFL Pro Bowl lineman Albert Haynesworth sat down with Outkick the Coverage’s Clay Travis on his ‘Outkick Bourbon Tour’ to discuss his infamous stomping incident of then-Dallas Cowboys center Andre Gurode’s head in 2006.
After a play near the Titans goal line, Haynesworth is seen removing Gurode’s helmet while Gurode laid on the ground and then in one swift movement proceeded to stomp Gurode’s exposed head with his cleat.
TV replays then showed Gurode on his knees sprawled over holding his head while blood poured from his forehead area where Haynesworth had stomped Gurode’s helmet-less head. Gurode would later need 30 stitches around his right eye after the game to close the wound.
Haynesworth was suspended 5 games for the incident, which at the time was the longest suspension in league history for an incident that occurred on the field of play. The five-game record was later passed by Vontaze Burfict of the Bengals receiving a 12-game suspension plus playoffs for repeated helmet-to-helmet penalties.
Haynesworth at one point was considered one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL, being named an All-Pro defensive tackle in both 2007 and 2008, but the stomping incident now seemingly defines his legacy.
Haynesworth says the incident ultimately cost him $1.1 million in salaries and bonuses, but said that he and Gurode became friends in later years.
Check out the segment above, and the full incident in the video below.
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