Daniel Snyder’s departure as the owner of the Washington Commanders was gargantuan, mammoth and colossal.
But as hard as it may be to believe, getting Josh Harris as the new owner might result in an even more significant act in franchise history.
There are other billionaires out there who want to own NFL franchises. But if we learned anything from the last owner, it was that money alone doesn’t guarantee success for a new NFL owner.
Hey, Commanders fans, how would you like to have David Tepper as your new owner? Why did he give up so much when Bryce Young was not clearly the top quarterback in the class of 2023? And why has Tepper already had six interim/head coaches since taking over in 2019?
The former owner in Washington had his forgettable moments. He played general manager, he refused to hire a true general manager and he intruded into more than one NFL draft. Once, prior to hiring a head coach, he hired the team’s next offensive coordinator. Then, when he couldn’t get anyone to take the job as head coach, he promoted that offensive coordinator to the head coach position, knowing the man had never even been an NFL coordinator.
Fast forward to this offseason. Harris, though he has made more money than anyone else in the organization, showed he is secure enough to hire Adam Peters, who has trained to be an NFL general manager.
Second, if Harris permits Peters to hire the man he truly feels is the best fit for the head coach position, then Peters owns the decision. And if Peters owns the decision, it will be up to Peters to sincerely work with and for that head coach.
Third, consider April’s draft. Washington will not only have the No. 2 overall selection, but the possibility exists they could obtain their quarterback for the next decade. Having five of the top 100 selections means Peters will have a tremendous responsibility. It also means he will have a wonderful opportunity to rebuild this roster.
If Harris can remain secure enough to permit football people such as Peters and the next head coach to do their jobs, build trust with them and provide them a respectful working relationship, this franchise could experience something it has not witnessed in a quarter of a century.
It all begins with Harris.
