Colts owner Jim Irsay said Tuesday there are “potentially” 24 votes to remove Dan Snyder as co-owner of the Commanders.
“I believe there is merit to removing him as owner of the [Commanders],” he said, adding that he believes “it’s in the best interest of the National Football League.” However, he said there won’t be a vote Tuesday. It would take votes from 24 of the 32 owners to vote Snyder out.
Irsay feels there is merit in removing the embattled and controversial co-owner. And even though Snyder has reportedly stated he has enough “dirt” on other owners and commissioner Roger Goodell, Irsay isn’t threatened by it. He said, “I don’t know about that. I could care less. You can investigate me ’til the cows come home. That’s not going to back me off, private investigators or any of that stuff.”
Snyder is facing a multitude of investigations from the league and a congressional committee concerning wide-ranging workplace misconduct allegations. Based on a previous investigation, the NFL already levied a $10 million fine and sanctions on the co-owner.
The current league investigation and congressional probe are still ongoing.
“Some of the things I’ve heard doesn’t represent us at all. I want the American public to know what we’re about as owners,” Irsay said, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “… I believe it’s in the best interest of the National Football League that we look at this squarely in the eyes and deal with it.”
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The U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Oversight and Reform’s investigation began in October 2021, more than a year after the Washington Post released an article in July ’20 that detailed workplace sexual harassment experienced by 15 former employees within the franchise.
But, the alleged misconduct extended beyond that single report. The Post released another article in 2020 that detailed how a former senior executive instructed employees to create a behind-the-scenes video for Snyder. The video included videos of partially naked team cheerleaders from an ’08 team swimsuit calendar shoot.
The Post also previously reported that “lawyers and private investigators working on Snyder’s behalf took steps that potential witnesses … viewed as attempts to interfere with the NFL’s investigation.” The numerous alleged attempts to interfere included reaching a $1.6 million settlement with a former employee who described sexual misconduct by the co-owner and filing petitions to identify employees who had spoken to The Post. Members of the Committee on Oversight and Reform also released a memo in February about how Snyder not only allegedly used private investigators in his own investigation, but also “abused the subpoena power of federal courts to obtain private emails, call logs, and communications in an effort to uncover the sources of the Washington Post’s exposés, undermine their credibility, and impugn their motives.”
According ESPN’s report from last week, Snyder allegedly used private investigators to look into Goodell and several team owners.
Following Irsay’s public comments, the Commanders spokesperson released a statement to Sports Illustrated, saying, “It is highly inappropriate, but not surprising, that Mr. Irsay opted to make statements publicly based on falsehoods in the media. It is unfortunate that Mr. Irsay decided to go public with his statement today, while an investigation is in process, and the team has had no opportunity to formally respond to allegations.
“The Commanders have made remarkable progress over the past two years. We are confident that, when he has an opportunity to see the actual evidence in this case, Mr. Irsay will conclude there is no reason for the Snyders to consider selling the franchise. And they won’t.”
Goodell later confirmed the investigation is still ongoing with no timeline for it to be finished. He was asked if he was upset that Irsay spoke his mind, to which Goodell said, “No.” However, he said, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, “speculation without facts is not a very positive thing to do.”
The report will be shared publicly.
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