The NFL fall meetings in New York got off to an eventful start Tuesday. On the heels of ESPN’s report from last week, Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder highlighted the day.
After strong comments from Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay about Snyder’s situation, Snyder has responded to the ESPN report in a letter to the other 31 NFL team owners.
Last week ESPN reported multiple owners are ready to oust Snyder from ownership of the Commanders. However, Snyder has told associates he has “enough dirt” on several NFL owners, league executives, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to “blow up” the league if owners attempted to remove him from ownership.
Snyder said the ESPN report contained “false and malicious” statements about the Commanders, the front office, Snyder, and his family in a letter to NFL owners.
“There is one allegation in the ESPN article that I feel it is important to address immediately,” Snyder continued. “The article cites unnamed sources who said: ‘They’ve been told that Snyder instructed his law firms to hire private investigators to look into other owners’ and Commissioner Goodell. That is patently false and intended to erode the trust and goodwill between owners that I take quite seriously. I have never instructed or authorized my lawyers to hire any private investigator on my behalf for any such purpose. And I never would.”
Snyder then called on the owners to band together against the sports network to protect the league.
“Having the privilege to own a franchise in America’s sport is something I know none of us take for granted,” Snyder wrote. “Falsehoods and lies being spread about any of our organizations hurt our League, our players, and our fans, and we simply cannot let them go unchallenged.”
Snyder may feel backed into a corner. Reports by ESPN and the Washington Post add fuel to the fire, stating multiple owners want to oust Snyder from the Commanders.
On Tuesday, Irsay told reporters he believes “there is merit” in removing Snyder from the league. But he stressed the owners would wait for the league’s second investigation into Snyder to finish.
Snyder has been the subject of several investigations by the U.S. House Oversight Committee and the D.C. Attorney General to add to the league. While multiple owners are gearing to remove Snyder, the embattled owner is trying to gather as much support as possible before a vote is deemed necessary.
Snyder needs to convince eight owners to side with him to remain.
