Dan Snyder 'Incredibly Proud to Recognize' Wife Tanya as New Co-CEO of WFT

Washington Football Team owner Dan Snyder announced Tuesday his wife, Tanya Snyder, has been named the team's co-CEO.

Andrew Beaton of the Wall Street Journal first reported the news, and Snyder provided a statement to Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post about the decision.

"Tanya has always been my closest confidant and most important advisor, but her role has outgrown such informal titles," he said. "The perspective she brings to this organization is invaluable and I am incredibly proud to recognize it with a fitting title: CEO."

It's the latest step in WFT's organizational restructuring since a pair of Washington Post articles last year—the first in July and the second in August—detailed how sexual harassment, sexist standards and verbal abuse had overrun the franchise during Snyder's ownership tenure, which began in 1999.

"It was the most miserable experience of my life," former employee Emily Applegate, who left the team in 2015 after one year, told the Washington Post. "And we all tolerated it because we knew if we complained—and they reminded us of this—there were 1,000 people out there who would take our job in a heartbeat."

Snyder released a statement following the initial report, saying the franchise had retained attorney Beth Wilkinson to do an independent review:

"The behavior described in yesterday's Washington Post article has no place in our franchise or society. This story has strengthened my commitment to setting a new culture and standard for our team, a process that began with the hiring of Coach [Ron] Rivera earlier this year.

"Beth Wilkinson and her firm are empowered to do a full, unbiased investigation and make any and all requisite recommendations. Upon completion of her work, we will institute new policies and procedures and strengthen our human resources infrastructure to not only avoid these issues in the future but most importantly create a team culture that is respectful and inclusive of all."

Her report has not been finalized or released because of an ongoing court case determining whether details from a 2009 sexual harassment settlement, in which a former female employee was paid $1.6 million, should be released or kept confidential, per Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Tanya Snyder's name was included on an internal memo to employees last July after the first Washington Post report:

In speaking with Beaton, Dan Snyder said he regretted that he and the franchise were "not being eyes-open enough" and that the reported misconduct was "heartbreaking."

"We apologize tremendously," Snyder added.

Since last August, the Washington Football Team has hired Jason Wright as team president, Martin Mayhew as general manager and Julie Donaldson as senior vice president of media as part of the organizational changes.

“We need to be involved, we want to be involved,” Tanya Snyder told Beaton. “And we need to look at the past, close the door, and do things different.”

In March, NFL owners approved the Snyders' purchase of the remaining 40.5 percent of shares in the franchise from those with a minority ownership stake, giving the family complete control of the organization.

The Washington Football Team also remains in the process of a name change after eliminating its previous nickname, which was derogatory toward Native Americans, prior to the 2020 season.