Place kicker Jeff Chandler arrived at Redskins Park earlier this week for a workout as the team sought a replacement for John Hall. A native of Jacksonville, Fla., and one-time star at the University of Florida, Chandler braced for the autumn chill in the air.
"It was probably the coldest workout I've ever been at," he said.
Chandler breezed through the workout and the Redskins signed him to a contract to finish out the season.
"I always approach it as, whoever's the best to kick that day is probably the best kicker," he said. "I went out there and did the best I could and I controlled the things that I could control."
With Hall placed on injured reserve this week, Chandler is expected to assume the Redskins' kicking duties for the remainder of the week.
The 6-2, 218-pounder makes his return to San Francisco for his first game. Chandler was selected by the 49ers in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft and connected on 8-of-12 field goals and 14-of-14 PATs in his rookie campaign.
He was released by the 49ers early in the 2003 season.
"I'm very excited," Chandler said. "Being in my position, any time you get a phone call, the emotions come back. It's a good opportunity for me to prove myself and I'm looking forward to finishing out the season here."
Asked about playing against his former team, Chandler said: "There's a little extra fire in there. I'm looking forward to showing them what I've been up to."
For the Redskins, one advantage to signing Chandler is that he is familiar with the weather in San Francisco and the field conditions at Monster Park.
"It gets pretty windy and the field gets a little soggy," he said. "That's something I'm used to. I feel pretty comfortable in that stadium, so there won't be anything for me to adjust to."
Chandler spent time on the rosters of the Jacksonville Jaguars and St. Louis Rams before appearing in two games for the Carolina Panthers earlier this season. He was released by the Panthers in November.
A walk-on at Florida, Chandler finished his collegiate career as the Gators' all-time leading scorer with 368 points.
