"There's merit to remove him" - NFL franchise owner openly supports idea of stripping Dan Snyder of Commanders ownership
Washington Commanders team owner Dan Snyder is currently under investigation by two bodies. One is the National Football League itself. The other is a more exalted body - the US House Committee on Oversight and Reform for Workplace Misconduct and Financial Improprieties.
There has been talk in recent weeks that Dan Snyder could be ousted as the owner of the Commanders for his wrongdoing. Just last week, it was revealed in a report from ESPN that Snyder hired private investigators.
He had them gather information about other team owners to use as a possible insurance policy if he felt that they were going to vote him out. It would take 24 of the other 31 NFL owners to agree to remove Snyder for it to become official.
The Indianapolis Colts' longtime owner Jim Irsay spoke after the NFL owners' meeting on Tuesday. Irsay is the first owner to speak publicly on the matter and said that he feels there may be grounds to remove him.
“I believe there’s merit to remove him as owner.”
BREAKING: Colts owner Jim Irsay is the first owner to publicly back removal of Dan Snyder as owner of the Commanders.
“I believe there’s merit to remove him as owner.”
Irsay went on to say that he believes that in the workplace culture of 2022, people need to speak out about misconduct. He said that this type of misconduct needs to have repercussions.
Once the NFL owners speak in a group, he believes, the right decision will be made. Irsay also said that he is appalled that this type of behavior has been going on for over two decades in the franchise.
"I believe in the workplace today, the standard that the shield stands for in the NFL, that you have to stand for that and protect that. I just think once owners talk among each other, they will arrive at the right decision.
"Unfortunately, I believe that's the road we probably need to go down and we just need to finish the investigation. But it's gravely concerning to me the things that have occurred there over the last 20 years."
The NFL owners are yet to make a decision on Dan Snyder and his future as the team owner. He did not make an appearance at Tuesday's NFL owners' meeting. Instead, his wife Tanya - the CEO of the team - and team president Jason Wright represented the Commanders.
Roger Goodell asks NFL team owners not to comment on Dan Snyder situation
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reportedly told the other 31 NFL team owners that he doesn't want them to discuss the Dan Snyder situation publicly. He apparently wants to hold back any comment until after Mary Jo White, who was hired by the NFL to investigate, has completed her findings.
Roger Goodell says there should be no discussion on Dan Snyder’s ownership until the Mary Jo White investigation is completed.
After Jim Irsay commented that he believes there is merit to removing Dan Snyder, Roger Goodell said that he doesn't mind him expressing his opinion.
However, it appears that he doesn't want a trend to begin where NFL owners start expressing their personal feelings.
Interesting juxtaposition in NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s comments. On one hand, he disclosed that he more or less told owners to stay quiet on Dan Snyder until the investigation is complete. On the other, when asked if he had a problem with Jim Irsay speaking out …
“No.”
Goodell believes that he or the other NFL owners should hold their judgement before the investigation is complete. But Jim Irsay has never been one to hold back his feelings on any situation regarding the National Football League.