Commanders Owner Dan Snyder Pens Plea To Owners: “I Have Never Hired Any Private Investigator To Look Into Any Owner”
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An article published by ESPN recently claimed that Washington Commanders Owner Dan Snyder allegedly told his associates that he had “dirt” on his fellow NFL owners, among other things. The article cited anonymous sources saying that Snyder was compiling dirt by hiring private investigators to look into other owners. Snyder’s attorney has denied these allegations on radio shows all week.
The story reportedly prompted some responses by a few team owners ahead of Tuesday’s league meeting in New York, such as Jim Irsay of the Indianapolis Colts. Irsay spoke candidly about his belief that there is merit in owners voting to remove Snyder as owner of the Commanders.
Irsay stated his concerns over the allegations of workplace misconduct & sexual harassment levied against Snyder, and said that consideration should be put into conducting a probe for Snyder’s involvement in possible “financial improprieties.” Irsay also said he supported the league’s diligence in looking into the allegations against Snyder before any final vote would take place, while imploring franchise owners to “look it square in the eye.”
“I want to hold my final opinion until I see the whole report in thorough, but I have my concerns. At this point, I’m very concerned that he needs to be removed. At this point, there has to be serious consideration to be ready to move in that direction,” Irsay added.
Irsay’s family has owned the Colts since his father first took ownership back in 1972. Jim Irsay officially became owner and CEO in 1997.
On the heels of Irsay’s comments making headlines today, Snyder released a written statement directed to other owners denying the allegations made in the ESPN article. He began by claiming that he has never hired private investigators to look into other team owners.
“That is patently false and intended to erode the trust and goodwill between owners that I take quite seriously,” Snyder said.
Snyder also said he never had investigators look into NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell either.
“While we all are fierce competitors on the field, we are a part of this organization because we love football, our teams and our fans,” Snyder continued. “Having the privilege to own a franchise in America’s sport is something I know none of us take for granted. Flasehoods and lies being spread about any of our organizations hurts our League, our players and our fans, and we simply cannot let them go unchallenged.”
Snyder’s attorney Tom Davis also recently wrote a nine-page letter to the Congressional Committee that is reportedly conducting an investigation into his client. Davis denied all allegations made against Snyder, including ones involving sexual assault and arguing that the Committee has yet to request an interview with any of the current Commanders staff. Davis says that the committee isn’t being “fair, thorough, or bipartisan” to Snyder in any way.
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