Mike Shanahan Says Trading Albert Haynesworth to Patriots Was ‘Easy Decision,’ Wasn’t Surprised After His Release

FOXBORO, Mass. — Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan never hid his lack of affection for defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, and he relayed those feelings again Wednesday.

Shanahan suspended Haynesworth for the final four games of the 2010 season, which was the culmination of months of issues between the two. Haynesworth struggled to pass his conditioning test when Shanahan took the job in 2010, and the defensive tackle refused to adapt to Shanahan’s 3-4 defensive scheme.

When the lockout ended over the summer, Shanahan traded Haynesworth to the Patriots for a fifth-round draft pick.

“Albert, it doesn’t take long to figure out — you’ve got everybody buys into a system — and it doesn’t take long to figure out that he wasn’t buying in,” Shanahan said. “[The trade] was an easy decision.”

As it turned out, the scheduled reunion won’t take place Sunday when the Patriots visit the Redskins. The Patriots released Haynesworth on Nov. 8.

How did Shanahan react to that news?

“It didn’t surprise me,” he said.