NFLPA Will Petition NFL to Release Findings of Washington Football Investigation
The NFL Players Association said Tuesday that it plans to request that the NFL release the remainder of the 650,000 emails reviewed as part of the investigation into workplace misconduct with the Washington Football Team, according to ESPN, USA Today Sports and ABC news, among others. Leaked emails from that investigation that showed Jon Gruden used racist, misogynistic and anti-gay language led to the Las Vegas Raiders coach’s resignation Monday night, which we reported earlier today.
“We have had communications with the league, and the NFLPA plans to request that the NFL release the rest of the emails,” NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith told USA Today Sports in a phone interview.
NFLPA spokesperson George Atallah confirmed to ESPN’s Dan Graziano that the union planned to request the emails. An NFL spokesperson told USA Today that it had no plans to release those emails for confidentiality reasons.
Attorneys representing 40 former employees of the Washington Football Team also urged the NFL to release the emails.
“It is truly outrageous that after the NFL’s 10-month long investigation involving hundreds of witnesses and 650,000 documents related to the longtime culture of harassment and abuse at the Washington Football Team, the only person to be held accountable and lose their job is the coach of the Las Vegas Raiders,” lawyers Lisa Banks and Debra Katz said in a statement. “If the NFL felt it appropriate to release these offensive emails from Jon Gruden, which it obtained during its investigation into the Washington Football Team, it must also release the findings related to the actual target of that investigation. Our clients and the public at large deserve transparency and accountability. If not, the NFL and [commissioner] Roger Goodell must explain why they appear intent on protecting the Washington Football Team and owner Dan Snyder at all costs.”
The NFL completed its investigation into Washington’s workplace culture in July, fining the franchise $10 million. In addition, Tanya Snyder, who was named the team’s co-CEO in June, took over the day-to-day duties of the franchise from her husband, Dan. All senior executives, including the Snyders, were ordered to take part in workplace conduct training.
The NFL has yet to comment on the NFLPA’s request.
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