Dan Snyder may have drawn a line in the sand against the NFL and the other team owners. According to The Washington Post, Snyder wants indemnity from the league and its owners, among other conditions, to protect him against future legal liability if he sells the Washington Commanders.
Snyder has threatened to sue if the league does not meet his requests. Snyder’s demands have angered some NFL owners, sparking talk of removing him from ownership.
One source told the Washington Post the owners would “definitely” move to a vote to oust Snyder.
Dan Snyder and the Commanders have been subject to several investigations sparked by allegations of sexual harassment, workplace misconduct, and financial improprieties. The NFL is conducting a second investigation into Snyder led by high-power attorney Mary Jo White. Among Snyder’s demands, he is requesting the findings of the investigation be confidential. Yet, the league insists the findings will be made public.
The league’s first investigation led to the Commanders getting fined $10 million and Snyder briefly stepping away from the team’s day-to-day operation. The findings from the 2020 investigation by Beth Wilkinson were not made public.
Federal officials and the U.S. House Oversight Committee have investigations against Snyder and the Commanders.
A report last year suggested there was a belief among league owners that Snyder hired a private investigator to drum up dirt on league officials, commissioner Roger Goodell and some owners in an attempt to swat off a forced sale.
That prompted Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay to acknowledge a vote to remove Snyder was a realistic possibility.
According to The Washington Post, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who many consider a close friend to Snyder, is trying to broker a peace deal that would allow Snyder to sell the team and move on from the league without further acrimony.
The Commanders have been up for sale since November. Bids from suitors began in December. Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils owner Josh Harris has reportedly emerged as the frontrunner to buy the Commanders if the team gets sold.
Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has also reportedly placed a bid for the Commanders. Reports have placed bids from $5.5 billion to as much as $6.3 billion. Some pundits believe Snyder could fetch $7 billion for the Commanders.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has been a favorite of fans to buy the Commanders. Bezos reportedly is seeking to bid on the Commanders with an investment group that includes rap mogul Jay-Z. However, Snyder barred Bezos’ group from placing a bid on the team.
There have been reports that the sale has met a standstill. Could that standstill be related to Snyder’s demands? If the Commanders get sold, it may come with a legal confrontation between Snyder and the league.
