Tennessee football’s 10 DTs with best NFL careers

Teams played for:

• Tennessee Titans, 2002-2008
• Washington Redskins, 2009-2010
• New England Patriots, 2011
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2011

Yes, there is a ton of drama behind the Albert Haynesworth saga in the pros. However, nobody can deny just how great he was. Haynesworth stood out in college, starting his final two years with Tennessee football and coming away with 36 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss and seven passes broken up as a junior in 2001.

More from Vols Football

• How to Win a GUARANTEED $200 Bonus Betting Just $5 on the Vols vs. Florida!
• Tennessee Football at Florida: Five Keys to a Vols Victory
• Week 3 SEC Power Rankings: Did Tennessee Football’s Win Help At All?
• Week 3 AP Polls: Why Did Tennessee Football Drop in the Polls?
• Tennessee Football: Top Five Performers in 30-13 Win vs. Austin Peay

With that level of talent, he left early for the NFL and was the 15th pick of the 2002 draft by the Tennessee Titans. Immediately, Haynesworth stood out with his 6’6″ 335-pound frame, and after appearing in every game in 2002, he became a starter in 2003. His play helped revitalize Tennessee’s defense during those two years.

In the mid-2000s, the Titans began rebuilding with Vince Young and Kerry Collins, and Haynesworth still stayed on. He carried the team to the playoffs in 2007 and then the best record in the NFL in 2008. That play helped him secure a $100 million deal with the Washington Redskins, and we all know how that turned out.

Haynesworth was a bust after two years in D.C., then the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers each took a shot on him in 2011, but it didn’t work out. As a result, nothing really came of Haynesworth after those Tennessee days.

However, nobody can ignore what Haynesworth did with the Titans. He reached back to back Pro Bowls in 2007 and 2008 and finished his career with 348 tackles, 262 of which were solo, 30.5 sacks and 116.5 tackles for a loss.