National Football League

Glazer: Romanowski interviews as strength coach

Published Feb. 9, 2010 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

New Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan has a reputation for doing things at times against the grain. This week he's taking another interesting shot.

The Redskins have brought in former NFL bad boy Bill Romanowski for an interview to be the team's next strength and conditioning coach, FOXSports.com has learned.

While the former 16-year veteran clearly knows his stuff when it comes to strength training, he's also a potential lightning rod due to his prior involvement in the infamous BALCO scandal. as well as his public admission in 2005 on "60 Minutes" that he used steroids and human growth hormone during his playing career.

Although he's a controversial figure, hiring his former Broncos linebacker may not be the worst idea purely from a coaching standpoint. With Romanowski's rampant use of supplements and highly-publicized training regimen, he lasted several years longer than others at the same age and position.

The intense Romanowski had a memorable NFL career, playing for four teams from 1988-2003. The two-time Pro Bowler once suited up in 243 consecutive games (an NFL record for linebackers) and is the only LB to start in five Super Bowls – winning twice with the 49ers in 1988-89, twice with the Broncos in 1997-98, and losing with the Raiders in 2002.

He also gained notoriety for a series of altercations and fines throughout his career, which including being ejected and fined for kicking Cardinals RB Larry Centers' head in 1995, fined $20,000 in 1997 for a jaw-breaking helmet-to-helmet hit on QB Kerry Collins, a '97 spitting incident with WR J.J. Stokes and fined in 1999 for a brawl with Tony Gonzalez.

In 2003, Romanowski was sued by then-Raiders teammate Marcus Williams after a practice incident in which Romanowski ripped off Williams' helmet and punched him, injuring the tight end's eye socket so severely that he was forced to retire. Williams' ensuing lawsuit sought $3.4 million in damages and charged "roid rage," but because the claim was impossible to prove Williams was awarded only $340,000.