A Washington Post expose sent shock waves through the NFL on Thursday, when it was revealed no fewer than a dozen women who worked for the Washington franchise claimed they were the victims of lewd and sexist behavior by former top team officials.
Controversy is nothing new to the team or its owner, Dan Snyder, who for years resisted calls to change the team's derogatory nickname before conveniently relenting this week -- only days before the damning story was published.
Here's how the NFL, Redskins and adjacent media responded:
The NFL said the allegations were disturbing, and it would later meet with investigators hired by the team to discuss their findings.
In a statement released on Friday, Snyder said sexual harassment "has no place in our franchise or society," and vowed to institute new policies after an investigation.
New head coach Ron Rivera said he was hired to change the team's culture.
Former wide receiver Torrey Smith said the actions of the Redskins unfairly tar the "good men" in the league.
Several female journalists weighed in on the rampant sexism and harassment they experience while covering the NFL and other sports, while the Pro Football Writers of America group expressed solidarity with two reporters who told their stories on the record for the Post expose.
I am also thinking about all of the men both within the Washington organization and in the media who witnessed all of this sexual harassment and didn't do anything to stop it.
— Nicole Auerbach 😷 (@NicoleAuerbach) July 16, 2020
Others expressed anger and disappointment that the expose, which had been rumored to be in the works for at least several days before it was released, became fodder for wild and baseless speculation about the story's contents.
Thought some of the speculation/rubber-necking before the story came out was unprofessional. Now that we know this was about a toxic culture in which women were harassed and demeaned, it’s enraging. Women aren’t here for your amusement. https://t.co/eYh5HJaQuM
— Nancy Armour (@nrarmour) July 17, 2020
Others expressed disgust with the team, or called for the ouster of Snyder.
DC’s got some sexist trash running the team. That buildup about Gruden and drugs wasn’t in the story, but this is still extremely serious and Dan Snyder has to sell the team.
— Johnny Kinsley (@Brickwallblitz) July 16, 2020
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