Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder is the subject of sensational claims which put him at the centre of an NFL ‘mafia’, with reports suggesting he hold secrets that could land fellow owners in hot water.
Snyder has long been a controversial figure throughout his 23-year tenure at the Commanders; most recently the 57-year-old has been embroiled in sexual harassment claims, as well as hostile workplace accusations against the franchise and himself personally.
In a staggering report released by ESPN, it has now been claimed that the Washington head-honcho recruited private investigators in order to dig up dirt on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and fellow franchise owners. With the majority of the league’s hierarchy said to be eager for Snyder to be removed from the picture, the report also claims he now has enough ‘secrets to blow up several NFL owners’.
Further on in their findings, it is claimed Snyder has been heard as saying in private, “they can’t f*** with me.
“The NFL is a mafia,” he recently told an associate. “All the owners hate each other.”
ESPN went on to claim an unnamed veteran owner replied ,saying: “That’s not true. All the owners hate Dan.”
Just how the businessman and owner has managed to operate for over two decades despite numerous allegations and even a Congressional investigation, has left those associated with the club and beyond bewildered.
ESPN spoke to 30 owners, executives, lawyers and current and former Commanders employees, and found that the number one factor related to fear of retribution that has been drip fed into the Washington set-up.
Not only has Dan Snyder completely destroyed a NFL franchise's fanbase (#1 in stadium attendance to #31) & turned a winning franchise into a big loser but he continues to tarnish the @NFL with constant scandals. It's time for Snyder to #SellTheTeamhttps://t.co/XaO5nEhGss pic.twitter.com/fT0NhzZDwe
— Tom Manatos (@TomManatos) October 5, 2022
While the nature of these accusations are yet to be validated, Commissioner Goodell has supposedly issued a warning to franchise owners that leaking to reporters could land them with multi-million dollar fines.
One former senior Commanders executive claims “he thinks he’s got stuff on Roger” while another execute of a similar stature labelled him “the most powerful owner in the NFL” because of what he knows.
In addition to a string of sexual misconduct allegations from Commanders employees, claims of financial irregularities alleged by a former vice president of sales for the franchise has been muttered.
Goodell said that findings of the league’s investigation will be released alongside an ongoing proceeding involving former US attorney Mary Jo White, who is leading an inquiry relating to Tiffani Johnston.
The alleged victim testified earlier this year that Snyder grabbed her thigh at a team event and pressured her to get into a limo. He has since denied these claims.
This is the latest in a supposed long line of felonious behaviour having privately settled a harassment case in 2009 for a reported $1.6 million, as revealed by the Washington Post.
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