Allegations of sexual misconduct against Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder are once more under investigation by the NFL following reports the team wanted to conduct its own review. Such a laughable investigation of Snyder paying for the review needed to be squashed by the league as an integrity issue.
Too bad nobody trusts the NFL to do the right thing, either.
The NFL squashed a year-long investigative review last summer when requiring no written findings of widespread sexual misconduct by several team officials. True, the NFL fined the team $10 million, forced personnel and structure changes to the organization and asked Snyder to remain largely out of sight.
But a House congressional round table on Feb. 3 brought direct accusations of misconduct by Snyder with a former team employee. Further House revelations showed the NFL and Snyder worked together on the past investigation to taint the results. Now the NFL has no choice to once again review claims against an owner that could ultimately lead to Snyder's suspension or forced team sale.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed league owners can force an individual owner to sell their team. On Wednesday in his annual state-of-the-league address, Goodell said new charges prompted a second review.
"We treat [allegations] very seriously and we need to look into that," Goodell said. "We need to understand what truly happened and in the most serious way we can."
Still, the NFL's smoke and mirrors in the first investigation leaves no expectation of a credible result. Instead, it sounds like more smoke and mirrors. By having no written report in the first investigation, the NFL's transparency was zero. Why will it change during a second review?
At least the NFL prevented Snyder from conducting his own review. Nobody would have believed the results and it would have further heightened demands for Snyder's ouster. Indeed, Snyder has become a major problem for the league via plummeting home attendance that fell from 700,000 overall in 2017 to 400,000 last year, at least half of which were visiting fans. This from a franchise where you couldn't beg, borrow or steal a ticket in the 1980s and supposedly held a 200,000-person waiting list when Snyder took over in 1999.
The NFL is willing to endure Snyder unless corporate sponsors force his ouster by withholding advertising. Indeed, the NFL only responds to money. It can endure public criticism knowing fans will move on shortly, much like it did over the sporadic Redskins name change debate for nearly 30 years. Only a flash point in the cancel culture in July 2020 forced a name change.
So that's the real bottom line on Snyder's future. Does he become too big of a financial liability to the league more so than an embarrassment. It's hard to say if or when that will happen. But, an honest investigation into charges will make the decision easier. Otherwise, fans won't support the team no matter the new name.
Rick Snider has covered Washington sports since 1978. Follow him on Twitter: @Snide_Remarks.
