NFL Taking Over Investigation Into Washington Football Team Workplace Issues

Update:

Washington owner Dan Snyder issued the following statement regarding the news:

A statement from Dan and Tanya Snyder, revealing he suggested to Roger Goodell that the NFL take over the investigation of the Washington Football Team. pic.twitter.com/o1gCvBJamB

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 1, 2020

Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports that the NFL informed Washington owner Daniel Snyder on Monday that they’re taking over the investigation into alleged workplace issues documented by the Washington Post. 

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Snyder spoke Monday and Snyder was reportedly supportive of the decision.

Garafolo adds that Beth Wilkinson and her team will still conduct the investigation but they will now report to Roger Goodell and the NFL.

Washington has hired Wilkinson to “conduct a thorough independent review of this entire matter and help the team set new employee standards for the future.”

However, the team has come under criticism for this not being an independent investigation. 

The Washington Post previously reported that fifteen women who worked for the franchise allege sexual harassment by former scouts and members of Snyder’s inner circle.

A number of women were unable to speak with The Post due to non-disclosure agreements that the team refused to release them from. Former marketing coordinator Emily Applegate was, however, able to speak on the record.

Synder declined to be interviewed for the report. 

The allegations against members of the organization date as far back as 2006 and as recently as 2019 and include “unwelcome overtures or comments of a sexual nature, and exhortations to wear revealing clothing and flirt with clients to close sales deals.”

The report also identifies former president of business operations Dennis Greene and former COO Mitch Gershman as being among the harassers.

None of the women accused Snyder or former team president Bruce Allen of harassment. However, the women did express skepticism that they were unaware of the behavior.

This week, the team has fired or moved on from prominent team employees like Richard Mann, Alex Santos and radio play-by-play announcer Larry Michael. All three are among the employees accused in the report. 

“We’re trying to create a new culture here,” head coach Ron Rivera said when asked about the dismissal of Santos and Mann. “We’re hoping to get people to understand that they need to judge us on where we are and where we’re going, as opposed to where we’ve been”

The team’s minority owners are reportedly attempting to sell their shares totaling 40 percent of the franchise. 

We’ll have more regarding Washington as the news is available.