Belichick on Haynesworth: 'We Tried To Make It Work'
FOXBORO (CBS) - New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick briefly spoke about the release of defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth, but did not give many details during his Wednesday press conference.
"I thought that both he and myself, speaking for the staff, we really tried to make it work," said Belichick. "He had a few physical limitations to overcome when he got here but I thought he really tried to do what we asked him to do. We tried to work with him. In the end, it just didn't work out. I think the best thing we could do was just move on."
Patriots Blog: Pats Place Barrett On IR
"Anytime you bring a player onto the team, you bring him onto your team with the expectation that it'll be a positive and productive thing for your team. Of course, that doesn't always happen. We know that. When you feel like it's time to move on, then you make that decision. That's basically where we feel like we are," the Patriots coach said in a conference call with the New York media.
When asked if trading a fifth-round pick to the Washington Redskins for Haynesworth was worth the gamble, Belichick clearly wanted to move on from the topic.
"It's all done with. It's on to the Jets," the coach replied.
Read: Early Chatter On The Jets
Haynesworth was released from the team Tuesday after registering just three tackles in six games for New England. He appeared in just one play during the second half of New England's 24-20 loss to the Giants, and was seen arguing with defensive coach Pepper Johnson on the sidelines.
Belichick said Monday it was a "rotation-related" decision to sit Haynesworth, and had nothing to do with the alleged altercation.
Tune in to the Patriots-Jets game Sunday night on 98.5 The Sports Hub. Pregame coverage begins with Patriots Gameday on WBZ-TV at 11:30am, with the Hub's pregame beginning at 5:00pm. Tune in after the game for the Patriots Postgame Show, and Patriots Fifth Quarter on WBZ-TV.
