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Albert Haynesworth a Longtime Fan of Patriots, Tom Brady, Bill Belichick

 Albert Haynesworth will reportedly join his new team in Foxboro this week, and when he eventually says that he’s excited to join the Patriots, you know he won’t be lying.

The evidence comes from August 2009, after Haynesworth absolutely smothered Tom Brady in the quarterback’s third preseason game after his knee injury that kept him out for the entirety of the 2008 season.

Watch the hit here:

After the game, Haynesworth insisted he was only doing his job and that he would never intentionally hurt Brady.

“I mean, it wasn’t like I was hitting Gisele [Bundchen] or something; he’s the quarterback,” Haynesworth said, according to The Washington Post. “It was good, it was fine. I mean, I was trying to tackle him, but I wasn’t trying to hurt him. I’m not that type of a player, you know?

“I’m actually a big Tom Brady fan. I’m a big Patriots fan,” Haynesworth added. “I’ve always like the Patriots, I’ve always liked Coach [Bill] Belichick. I just like the way [Brady] is.”

Brady left the game with a “sore shoulder” but didn’t miss any regular-season time, as he threw for 378 yards and two touchdowns in a dramatic comeback victory in the season opener. At the time, though, Haynesworth showed concern.

“I hope he’s all right,” Haynesworth said. “If I had to hit him again, I would hit him again. That’s my job, that’s what they brought me here to do. But as far as trying to hurt somebody, I’m not trying to do that, especially that time, because I like that team. When you step back from football, I’ve always liked the Patriots. I don’t know why. It’s just something about them. I’ve always liked the Patriots.”