Dan Snyder has been involved in another controversy surrounding the Commanders this offseason, and it could affect his future in the NFL. As detailed by Jarrett Bell of USA Today, a number of other owners are considering “drastic options” in advance of this week’s league meetings.
The latest source of angst in Washington is centered around the ongoing FTC investigation into financial wrongdoing, much of which is alleged to have taken place between the years 2010 and 2015. The team has publicly rebuked the allegations, calling them “baseless,” “false and reckless” and based on “pure speculation.”
While the investigation has yet to be completed, its very existence has left Snyder “very much on the minds of some fellow NFL owners who would go as far as trying to force [him] from their ranks,” Bell notes. As one such owner anonymously said, “There’s growing frustration about the Washington situation and not over one issue, but over how much smoke there is,” adding “I think everybody’s getting tired of it.”
Last offseason, it was announced that Snyder would not be suspended as a result of the investigation into the team’s workplace culture. Instead, his wife assumed the day-to-day duties of running the franchise, which was fined $10M. Even before this latest investigation, Bell reports, there was an “anti-Snyder sentiment” that was “significant.”
As a result, another owner remarked that the allegations of Washington using two sets of books for the purpose of hiding league revenue, if proved to be true, would be “the nail in the coffin.” Furthermore, yet another said that “we are counting votes” — a statement that signals an intent, if sufficient support exists, to compel Snyder to sell the team.
As Bell notes, however, it is “unclear” at this point how many owners would be prepared to go that far. A three-fourths majority (that is, 24 other owners) would be required to remove the 57-year-old, who will not be in attendance at this week’s meetings.
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