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NFL owners and executives met in NYC yesterday for the first day of their two days of fall meetings. Dan Snyder, who is still under the pseudo-suspension imposed by the NFL, did not attend. Co-CEO Tanya Snyder, president Jason Wright, and COO Greg Resh represented the Washington Football Team.
The meetings got off to a bad start for Washington when two former employees presented a letter from 12 former employees asking the NFL owners to release the findings from the investigation into Washington’s toxic workplace. A written report wasn’t given, and attorney Beth Wilkinson was only asked to give an oral presentation of her findings. This resulted in Dan Snyder’s suspension, and the organization being fined $10 million. Tanya Snyder was named co-CEO and took over day-to-day operations while Dan focused on “long-term” projects like the team’s new stadium. Dan Snyder made it very clear that he wasn’t personally fined(the team was), and has not been shy about attending every game this year.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about the investigation, the punishments, releasing more information, and the potential involvement of the United States Congress. Goodell said Dan Snyder and the Washington Football Team organization have been held accountable. He touted the unprecedented fine given to the team, changes made to the organization, and Dan Snyder not being involved as examples.
Roger Goodell said he believes Dan Snyder and the Washington Football Team were held accountable for what Beth Wilkinson found in her investigation into the team's workplace culture. Goodell said Snyder "has not been involved in the organization for now almost four months." pic.twitter.com/fuRZ8ckizl
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) October 27, 2021
Goodell then tried to explain why there wouldn’t be any transparency in an investigation that Dan Snyder originally said would would be full and unbiased. When the NFL took over the investigation that tone changed, and Snyder started suing to impede the process and hired private investigators to “interview” the accusers. Goodell used the excuse that some of the accusers had requested anonymity which made it impossible to release the findings to the public. This was immediately disputed by Lisa Banks, an attorney representing 40 former employees, and former employee Rachel Engelson.
My clients did not ask the NFL for “protection” when they participated in the investigation. They asked for transparency and accountability —and received neither. https://t.co/V3JIJjxXzR
— Lisa Banks (@LisaBanksKMB) October 27, 2021
This is false @nflcommish. We were told our identities would be kept confidential in a written report. Meaning, if I spoke about something that happened to me, there would be no way Dan or others could trace the info back to me. Not that there would be no written report. C'mon. https://t.co/gVbqnw8PKl
— Rachel Engleson (@rachel_engleson) October 26, 2021
Update: The accusers want accountability
Lisa Banks and Debra Katz, the attorneys for 40 former WFT employees who participated in the investigation, wrote a letter to Roger Goodell to clarify that their clients took part in the probe with “the expectation that they and the public would be provided with the findings.” pic.twitter.com/w1jvT92K2B
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) October 27, 2021
Roger Goodell also said the league looks forward to cooperating with the congressional inquiry into the Washington Football Team’s toxic workplace investigation. The House Committee on Oversight and Reform set a deadline of November 4th for the NFL to turn over documents from the investigation. The NFL seems to have no desire to pursue this any further and is satisfied with the changes made to the organization and the punishments already given. A congressional inquiry might make a few more headlines, but Dan Snyder looks like he will survive to continue his reign of error on the Washington Football Team and it’s fanbase.
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