Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder is already facing five separate investigations into allegations of sexual harassment, misconduct and unlawful financial conduct. Facing intense pressure to sell the team, it seems Snyder is prepared to cause problems for the National Football League in a situation that won’t go away.
The 57-year-old franchise owner was already disciplined once by the NFL, fined $10 million and pushed away from day-to-day operations after an independent investigation found the Commanders had a toxic culture that enabled sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct for years. When the NFL didn’t release the findings from its investigation, Congress conducted its own inquiry which uncovered even more alarming allegations.
Related: Daniel Snyder facing further action from D.C. Attorney General
A day before NFL owners, league officials and commissioner Roger Goodell, The Washington Post reported Monday that the office of D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine has nearly completed its investigation into the Commanders and Snyder. More importantly, the D.C. attorney general plans to take action against the franchise, Snyder and the NFL.
Previewing the NFL’s Fall League Meeting on Tuesday, NFL Network’s Judy Battista reported that conversations around the league made it clear a majority of team owners want Snyder out.
“I was told this week by somebody who is familiar with the ownership thinking that, if you took a straw poll of owners right now, certainly most of them would prefer that Daniel Snyder not own the team anymore.”
NFL Network’s Judy Battista on how NFL owners view Daniel Snyder
While many around the league want Snyder out, per Battista, there is also the acknowledgment that a change is far from imminent. Snyder’s fellow NFL owners want him to sell the team, but it’s something he is refusing to even consider at this point.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones still supports Daniel Snyder
Importantly, according to Ian Rapoport, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones remains in Snyder’s corner and is not among the group who wants him pushed out of the league.
Related: NFL insider casts doubt on owners forcing Daniel Snyder to sell
“From what I understand, I know this was the subject of some debate, Jerry Jones is still behind Daniel Snyder and he has been behind him seemingly forever. As long as that happens, I’m not sure Daniel Snyder is going anywhere because that is how much power Jerry wields.”
Ian Rapoport on Jerry Jones backing Washington Commanders’ Daniel Snyder
The report comes days after Don Van Natta Jr., Seth Wickersham and Tisha Thompson of ESPN released an in-depth report with sources around the NFL indicating Snyder collected “dirt” on his fellow owners and Goodell. He reportedly did this in response to the increasing sentiment shared among his peers that he needs to be ousted from the league.
In that reporting, ESPN reported that an unidentified owner was told directly by Snyder he has “dirt” on Jones that he could use against him. Jones was recently accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2018. He is also accused by another woman in a lawsuit of being her father. However, Rapoport’s reporting makes it quite clear that the bond between Jones and Snyder remains.
Related: Former Papa John’s CEO says Jerry Jones, Daniel Snyder pushed him to get Roger Goodell fired in 2017
Jones is one of the most influential figures in the NFL and his wishes are often followed by his peers. If the Cowboys’ owner doesn’t want Snyder removed, the NFL likely won’t have the 24 votes it would need to remove Snyder if it was put up for a decision. It puts the league in a position where it can only hope Snyder voluntarily agrees to sell the franchise.
Why removing Daniel Snyder could be dangerous for the NFL
The NFL is certainly hoping privately that the investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct and concealing ticket revenue from fellow owners are enough to force him out. However, Snyder could create significant problems.
There are plenty of examples in recent years of the NFL doing everything in its power to avoid potentially damaging information that could be used against it coming to light. Settlements with the city of St. Louis and Colin Kaepernick happened in large part because the league wanted to avoid private communications between owners presented in a discovery process that would be made public.
It’s also why the NFL is fighting to have lawsuits from former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden and former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores moved into arbitration. Gruden and Flores could both use their federal suits to obtain communications between league officials and team owners that prove the NFL committed its own improper conduct.
The NFL won’t even have that option if Snyder is being considered for removal. He only cares about owning the Washington Commanders and if that is jeopardized, he could leak out whatever information he has on other owners that might be damaging to their reputation. It’s exactly the outcome the NFL wants to avoid and precisely why removing him will be so difficult.