The NFL Players Association has only one goal: to tirelessly defend the rights of its players when the Organizations they work for treat them unfairly. That's all they do. The Albert Haynesworth situation is the exact type of thing that they might take umbrage with. But because it involves Albert Haynesworth, they aren't touching it just yet, according to Jason Reid of the Washington Post; and the reason is equal parts amusing and sad.
To say the least, Haynesworth is not a sympathetic figure, so it would seem to benefit the union to deal with this matter out of the public glare sometime after the regular season ends.
With labor negotiations underway, the Players' Association can't afford to be seen with Albert Haynesworth. He's become a political liability more than anything else. Even the organization that is supposed to defend him no questions asked, is starting to wonder if defending him is good for the rest of the players they represent. This is his legacy now.
At first, it's kind of funny. To think of NFLPA head DeMaurice Smtih sitting at his desk and coyly sliding Haynesworth's file into the trash with a "none-the-wiser" look on his face, just to avoid the PR hit the organization would take by siding with him. You can understand why the Redskins would be upset with him, but the union actually believes that coming out in support of Haynesworth would damage the reputation of the rest of their clients. Even defense lawyers will defend people they know are guilty just to give them a fair trial. With labor negotiations going on, the union can't be bothered.
Then you think about it a little bit and it's also kind of sad. There is literally no one that is trying to help Albert Haynesworth right now. And don't get me wrong, all of this is his fault, he is not a victim in any sense of the word. But there is usually at least somebody out there who is willing to help someone out in a time like this. Especially when there is an entire organization that does it for a living. But even they have backed off Haynesworth. There isn't a single person on his side right now, and that speaks volumes about how poorly his time with the Redskins went.