Colts owner Jim Irsay says he believes there is some “merit to remove” Daniel Snyder as the owner of the Washington Commanders.
Irsay added he thinks there “potentially could be” the 24 votes from the league's other owners to remove Snyder while speaking to reporters at the NFL owners meeting in New York Tuesday.
"I think it's something that we have to review, we have to look at all the evidence and be thorough in going forward, but I think it's something that has to be given serious consideration," Irsay said, adding it was a difficult situation.
Irsay said a vote would not happen today and that it is "hard to say" when any potential vote on Snyder's ownership would be held.
"You know, I don't know how long it would take. Certainly, we're going to be thorough and look at everything and it could be at the March meetings, it could be... I don't know," Irsay said. "But I know we want to be thorough and look at everything carefully."
But Irsay did indicate there was broader support among the NFL's owners.
"When we look at the evidence and go forward we'll have to determine what the situation is," Irsay said when asked if he believed others agreed with his assessment. "I just believe in the workplace today the standard that the shield stands for and the NFL that you have to stand for that and protect that. And I just think that once owners talk amongst each other they'll arrive at the right decision and my belief is that, unfortunately, I believe that’s the road we probably need to go down and we just need to finish the investigation. But it's greatly concerning to me the things that have occurred there over the last 20 years.”
A Commanders team spokesperson responded with a statement to Irsay's comments, calling them "highly inappropriate" and denied the basis of the chargers against Snyder.
"It is highly inappropriate, but not surprising that Mr. Irsay opted to make statements publicly based on falsehoods in the media," the Commanders' statement read. "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 that there is no reason for the Snyders to consider selling the franchise. And they won't."
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said there was a briefing in the privilege session at the owners meetings that included an update on the Washington investigation by Mary Jo White.
“It’s an ongoing investigation,” Goodell said, “That’s what we talked about, there were no interim reports. We have not gotten interim reports. We do not provide any, because we don’t have them. When Mary Jo White is done with her investigation we will share that with the membership and share it publicly as we committed to before. And I was very clear with them there’s no reason for there to be any speculation at this point in time or discussion until we have the facts. And so that was my message to the ownership and there was little or no discussion.”
Goodell added he has no timeline for when the investigation will conclude as he is not in charge of the investigation. He also added Snyder's status as owner "hasn't changed."
Irsay called it a "regrettable situation" and it pains him to see it, but, "the founders of this league taught me you have to protect the game and protect what we're about. This isn't what we're about."
Irsay was asked if he believed Snyder should be removed and clarified he said there is “consideration that he should be removed.”
"We have to complete the investigation,” Irsay said. “But to me, it's something that serious consideration has to be given to the removal and we have complete authority to do that."
Is that for the removal of only Dan Snyder as owner or the entire Snyder family, Irsay was asked.
“I think in general of him, being removed and selling the franchise,” Irsay said.
This story has been updated to include comments from a Commanders team spokesperson and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
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