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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell defended the Washington Commanders at league meetings in Dallas on Wednesday, saying the franchise has undergone significant changes following claims of sexual harassment, hostile workplace and fraud against the team. and owner Dan Snyder.
“Change has happened with the Washington Commanders organization,” Goodell said. That is verified by an audit. That is the result we were looking for.
Snyder was absent from league meetings in Dallas this week, but the Commanders were represented by his wife, Tanya, the team’s co-CEO and team president, Jason Wright. The Snyders have recruited an investment bank to explore a possible sale of the Commanders.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (pictured) defended the Washington Commanders at league meetings in Dallas on Wednesday, saying the franchise has undergone significant changes following claims of sexual harassment, hostile workplace and fraud against the team and owner Dan Snyder.
Snyder (pictured) was absent from league meetings in Dallas this week, but the Commanders were represented by his wife, Tanya, the team’s co-CEO and team president, Jason Wright.
The Commanders have already been fined $10 million by the NFL, though that’s less than 2 percent of the club’s estimated $5.6 billion worth, according to Forbes.
Additionally, Snyder voluntarily seeded temporary control of the commanders to Tanya following a league investigation into sexual harassment and hostile workplace claims against the owner and franchisee.
The NFL has since launched a second investigation of sexual harassment on the team to verify subsequent allegations of misconduct, including former team employee Tiffani Johnston’s allegation that Snyder grabbed her thigh at a team dinner and pressured her to to get into a limousine.
Snyder has denied this claim.
An Oversight Committee investigation into allegations made by House Democrats is expected to end next month when Republicans take control of Congress. Still, Snyder and the team still face a couple of lawsuits from the District of Columbia and were fined $250,000 by Maryland for improperly withholding security deposits from season ticket holders.
And in February, the Democratic-led committee released documents showing the league and team agreed to pursue a “joint legal approach” related to the investigation, which was launched in 2020 after explosive reports by The Washington Post detailing the allegations of sexual harassment against team employees. .
The Snyders explore the possibility of selling the team, to the liking of many fans
Former Commanders employee Tiffani Johnston told the Congressional Oversight Committee that Snyder once groped her thigh during a team dinner and pushed her into his limo with his hand on the small of her back. Snyder has denied the accusation.
On Wednesday, Goodell defended himself and the NFL against claims by the Oversight Committee that the league misled the public about the investigations, which were supposed to be completely independent.
“My name has been on it since day 1,” Goodell said. ‘There were comments about secret deals. They are not secret agreements. They are legal documents that we explain.
The Snyders have hired an investment bank to explore a possible sale of the club, however it is not yet known if they would sell the entire franchise or a minority stake.
Four people familiar with the sales process expect Snyder to sell the entire team, rather than just a minority stake, and one believes it’s no longer feasible for the 58-year-old billionaire to stay in the league, according to a Washington Post. report.
The Washington Post reports that the investment bank is in the process of distributing prospectuses to potential buyers, provided they sign a confidentiality agreement. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Jay-Z were rumored to be considering a joint offer for the outfit, but a source close to the rapper told DailyMail.com he doesn’t expect him to be involved in the purchase.
On Wednesday, Goodell declined to speculate on a possible sale.
“I don’t have any expectations on that,” Goodell said. ‘Dan’s statement was that he was exploring that. And we will continue to work with him on that.’
Washington Commanders owners Tanya Snyder, left, and Dan Snyder on the field before the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Washington Commanders 25-10 at AT&T Stadium on October 2.