Andre Gurode Should Sue Albert Haynesworth

We were discussing the outrageous actions by Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who stomped on the helmet-less head of Dallas Cowboys center Andre Gurode, and my wife (a lawyer) pointed out that there's legal precedent if Gurode wants to file a lawsuit over the matter. In 1973, Cincinnati Bengals running back Boobie Clark delivered a cheap shot to Denver Broncos safety Dale Hackbart. The play, which Hackbart recounts here, resulted in Hackbart suffering a fractured C4, 5, 6, and 7 vertebrae on his neck, an injury that ended his career. Hackbart filed a lawsuit over the incident.

Hackbart v. the Cincinnati Bengals became a precedent-setting case. The courts ruled that in a professional football game, an intentional infliction of an injury by one player on another is grounds for a lawsuit. With that precedent on his side, Gurode, who needed stitches, should sue Haynesworth. Haynesworth still has two years left on the six-year, $9.6 million contract he signed as a rookie, but there has been talk that the Titans would work out a new deal with him. If that's true, I'd love nothing more than to see Gurode get a big chunk of Haynesworth's signing bonus.

Shockingly, Peter King reported on NBC that the league is not likely to suspend Haynesworth. However, Titans coach Jeff Fisher most likely will suspend him. If that's true, good for Fisher and bad for the league. Haynesworth's discipline is probably the biggest decision of Roger Goodell's brief tenure as commissioner. If he lets Haynesworth off with a fine, he's gotten off to a very bad start.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 15)

10-02-2006 @ 12:07AM

Tammy said...

There is a chance the league will NOT suspend him? OMG, what has our country began to see as acceptable?

10-02-2006 @ 12:49AM

Albert Chaves said...

I think he should be charged with assault and battery, something needs to be done about professional athletes criminal behaviers. Money should'nt be the solution to the problem, what kind of example are we setting for our kids who are one of the biggest groups of expectators.

10-02-2006 @ 1:19AM

Joel said...

Um, he is black isn't he? What's the big shocker here?

10-02-2006 @ 1:23AM

Sorry, not buying that excuse.

10-02-2006 @ 1:39AM

Quincy said...

Haynesworth should be suspended for the remainder of the year and the rest of his salary should go to Gurode.. A few more inches and Gurode be have one less eye and no job!

10-02-2006 @ 1:45AM

Judy Turner said...

I think Haynesworth should be suspended permanently from playing football, and should not receive any more of his way-too-high money-paying contract. Give his remaining contract money to Andre Gurode, and get Haynesworth off the field of any sport!

10-02-2006 @ 1:46AM

William said...

War is wrong but this act of violence is acceptable? Mr. Haynesworth, nothing short of a year suspension without pay plus paying full medical bills plus time lost at work for Mr. Gurode is the minimum acceptable for this act of violence. It is a game folks.

10-02-2006 @ 1:50AM

Rex Raiza said...

Yes it was bad. I remember Conrad Dobler of the St. Louis Cardinals being accused of biting opponents. The difference is that Conrad did it at the bottom of the pile where no one could see it.

10-02-2006 @ 1:53AM

steven said...

I don't blame gurode if he does decide to file a lawsuit against him. As a fan of both nfl and college levels, there is 0 tollerance for that behavior. I know that i would pitch a fit if sumthing didnt go my way but i wouldn't injure another player. That is jus a lack of maturity and self-control in my mind. Hopefully, if the nfl guys have there heads on right, they will think the same way.

10-02-2006 @ 2:11AM

Steve L. said...

Haynesworth is a thug, plain and simple. There is no excuse for this kind of action. This wasn't even a retaliation for anything Gurode had done to him, not that it would be an acceptible reason for this action. It was cheap and downright criminal. This is the Mike Tyson, "ear biting" incident all over again. Haynesworth is a punk and he should be suspended for a full year (16 games) which would carry over into next year and his salary should be signed over to Gurode. Now we all know that this won't happen, because the league doesn't want to come down too hard on a player, especially since this would be Roger Goodell's first big decision, but he needs to make a statement here and show the players, coaches and the league that he won't tolerate for this kind of behavior from anyone, for any reason. Haynesworth can apologize all he wants, it won't take back what he did. Kicking a defenseless man while he's down (with football cleats no less) is a criminal act, assault with a deadly weapon. No matter what he says, if you kick a defenseless person in the head, you're obviously trying to hurt them, plain and simple. Say all you want Haynesworth, you're a punk who, hopefully (IF you get to play in the NFL again) will have a big bullseye on your chest. Watchout for cheap shots coming your way...you deserve them.

10-02-2006 @ 2:14AM

Tom said...

Sue? Geez, everything comes down to "sue" nowadays. If Gurode suffered some sort of permanent injury, yes, he should sue. If not IMO Haynesworth should be suspended for the SEASON. Heck if someone did that in public they'd go to jail, that would be fair but I doubt that will happen. But I'm tired of reading about lawsuits, so many frivolous ones nowadays (spilled coffee, finger in chili, "whiplash" after a ding on the bumper etc etc) the "real" cases many times get thrown out (yes, I could tell you about permanant damage that went unpunished in the courts or any other way)

10-05-2006 @ 1:29AM

Ron said...

I agree with the previous comments. I think that this is unacceptable and that Haynesworth should be thrown out of the NFL at least for the rest of the year and all his pay should go to Andre Gurode. It was done on purpose as you look at the film. He did not try once but tiwce to step on his head and was very close to ending Mr. Gurode career

10-02-2006 @ 2:31AM

Charles said...

As everyone knows, football is a vicious sport and sometimes incidents happen beyond control but this was a blatent act against an opponent. Offensives like these should never happen this is something that calls for a good suspension i mean 5-9 games and a 50 thousand dollar fine i mean i've been watchin football since 5 and i've seen some spectacular and some outrageous things and i'll tell you what this ranks at the top of my list for outrageous mean while the manning drive there at the end to beat the jets was applaudable

10-03-2006 @ 1:41AM

Laura G. said...

Mr. Haynesworth should have the privilege of playing football for the NFL taken away permanently. If this had happened off the field it would have resulted in criminal charges and I don't see why criminal charges should NOT be filed. His actions were deliberate. He's had assault charges filed against him before (May of this year). If Mr. Haynesworth wants to act like a criminal, treat him like one. The rest of us have to obey the laws the land -- I'm tired of laws not applying to entertainers, athletes and politicians.

10-02-2006 @ 2:37AM

Don Witzel said...

Helllllllllo,

This guy is a 300 plus pound punk. He should be kicked out of the NFL and should have to get in the ring with another punk. Mike Tyson. May the best punk win!!!!

10-02-2006 @ 2:41AM

Joe G. said...

I beleive Haynesworths' head stomping on Andre Gurode is a flagrant violation of professional sports and is just as Bad as Mike Tyson biting off Holyfields' ear in their bout. Haynesworth should be made to sit out the entire season and $3 millon dollars be given to Gurode as punitive damages, but without the involvement of the court system, but thru the kindness, sorrow, and wallet of Haynesworth. Afterall, Haynesworth did express remorse for his actions, so now he should pay...just like the rest of us.

10-02-2006 @ 2:40AM

juan rosario said...

steping on this guy head shoulnt be alowed on feild
should be an termination for that if he doent know about
the rules in the nfl then whats the point of him beeing in the team . thanks by juan

10-02-2006 @ 2:42AM

EDDIE LANGLOIS said...

the man knows what he has done ,now it is just a matter of the right people doing the right thing ! plain and simply ! no need of lawsuits or outside law inforcement, just let the people who oversee these things take care of it , im sure the will !!

10-02-2006 @ 2:45AM

plain and simply let the right people do the right thing im sure they will !

10-02-2006 @ 2:47AM

Helen said...

Isn't it just wonderful that after this happened Haynesworth apologizes on national tv and says how if he is suspended and fined, he deserves it and that what he did was unforgiveable? Maybe the idiot should have thought about this before he did it. It was a cheap shot and a blatant attempt to cause severe injury. Sure football is a violent sport, but we do not need thugs who have anger management problems playing this game. I do not think that a fine and a suspension are enough to stop this type of bahavior. Maybe the NFL should make an example out of him. If the NFL has a zero tolerance policy on drugs, maybe they should have 1 on this type behavior.