Real reasons why Coles left Washington- CNNSI

[Mean Papi Green]

Irreconcilable differences

Many reasons why Coles, Redskins had messy divorce

It all will be over soon for Laveranues Coles.

Once he passes a routine physical Wednesday, his trade from the Washington Redskins will be consummated and he'll officially be a New York Jets wide receiver again. Given how much we've heard about Coles' frustration this past season, there shouldn't be a more delighted player in the NFL. There's no question he lucked into the best opportunity he could find after his time in D.C.

Coles will be reunited with his close friend, quarterback Chad Pennington, while playing in an offense that should be far more aggressive with new coordinator Mike Heimerdinger calling the plays. He'll play with a better supporting cast on a playoff-caliber team. He also gets to be happy again. That's the biggest boon for a player who described every week of last season as a "miserable" experience and added that the most important lesson he learned while in Washington was "trust nobody."

If you want to know how badly Coles and the Redskins needed a divorce, consider this: Redskins owner Daniel Snyder threatened Coles when the receiver's refusal to accept the trade without a contract extension thwarted the deal last month. "He said that if I stayed in Washington, he would turn me into another Terry Glenn," Coles said. (Glenn, now with the Cowboys, missed most of the 2001 season with New England as his public feud with head coach Bill Belichick resulted in various fines, suspensions and ultimately Glenn's benching). "He said he would send a flat-screen television to my home because I'd be better off watching the games there. That was his way of saying I'd be sitting for the next couple years until they cut me."

Snyder didn't return phone calls about that comment but it's easy to understand his irritation. He gave Coles a then franchise-record $13 million signing bonus two years ago. He expected Coles to be an integral part of the offense for many years. Now Snyder was watching the same player call his shots on the way out of town -- Coles eventually secured a reported $15 million in guaranteed money over the next three years while forcing the Redskins to take a huge salary cap hit -- and it stung.

But Snyder wasn't the reason Coles wanted out of Washington. Joe Gibbs was. Coles never felt comfortable with the Hall of Fame head coach. He was wary of Gibbs as far back as training camp. Coles feared that the coach (who was traveling and couldn't be reached for comment) would favor a conservative, run-first offense featuring Clinton Portis -- and that's exactly what happened.

Though Coles caught a career-high 90 passes last season, he averaged a career-low 10.6 yards per reception and scored only one touchdown (which Portis threw to him on a halfback-option pass). Coles never publicly aired his bitterness but he privately bristled about Gibbs' strategies: the coach's unwillingness to move the receiver around in the offense, the lack of downfield passing and the predictable nature of the system.

He often commiserated with Rod Gardner, another Redskins receiver in search of a trade. "We'd shake our heads and wonder where we fit in every time we saw a new game plan," said Coles, who became a Pro Bowl receiver while playing in Steve Spurrier's pass-happy system a year earlier. "People say we're leaving now because we're selfish, but how are you supposed to be happy as a receiver when you go from a passing offense to a running offense? This wasn't what I signed up for."

Coles' main complaint about Gibbs was the coach's inflexible nature. "I didn't feel respected as a player," Coles said. "I know everything changed [when Gibbs succeeded Spurrier] but when you feel like you're one of the best players at your position, you'd think you could talk to a coach about the play-calling. We didn't have that situation. He called the plays. We ran them. That's where things fell off with me. I realize it's a dictatorship but there's only so much you can take."

When the season ended, Coles met twice with Gibbs in order to air grievances. Neither session led to any positive results. "We concluded that it was best to go our separate ways," Coles said. "I don't want to get into the details but he basically said he didn't trust me, and I said I didn't trust him."

At that point, Coles wasn't sure where his career would go, but he was excited when the Jets aggressively pursued a trade.

Coles was bitter when New York didn't try harder to retain him as a free agent two years ago so the Jets' recent interest convinced him that the team still believed in his talents. The team's lack of concern with Coles' broken right big toe has been welcome news as well. He sustained the injury in the third game of the 2003 season and the Redskins believed it hindered his explosiveness. They wanted Coles to undergo surgery after this season but he balked because doctors told him the operation should be seen only as a last option (it could be a career-threatening procedure if it's unsuccessful). Coles adds that his condition improved with the help of a cortisone shot prior to a game at Philadelphia last November. "From what I've been told, it's not a problem as long as I'm running and cutting fine," Coles said. "Until it gets to the point where I can't walk, I don't need surgery."

The Jets won't comment on the trade until it's official, but they're clearly thrilled with Coles' return. He's a better receiver than Santana Moss, whom New York gave up in the deal, and he's more appreciative of a second chance with the team that drafted him. Coles also can't say enough good things about the Jets, including "the family atmosphere" fostered by head coach Herm Edwards.

As for positive comments about the Redskins, Coles is working on that. He's already reconciled with Snyder and there's even been some progress made with Gibbs. "We came to the conclusion that if we met in the street, we could shake hands and be cordial," Coles said of Gibbs. "But that's about it."

That acrimony might subside the longer Coles plays in New York. After all, he's landed in the best possible situation. The more he focuses on that, the better off he'll be.

[Mean Papi Green]

was this already posted???