ESPN: Snyder Implored Commanders to Trade for Carson Wentz Despite Deal with Goodell

Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder was fined $10 million and ordered to hand day-to-day responsibilities to his wife, Tanya, as part of a July 2021 punishment following an investigation into the organization's workplace culture, but he is reportedly still very involved in the decision-making process even after the deal with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

According to a report from Seth Wickersham, Don Van Natta Jr. and Tisha Thompson of ESPN, "Snyder is still far more involved running the club than most realize, imploring football decision-makers last March to trade for quarterback Carson Wentz."

The report included a number of revelations, including that Snyder has told those close to him that he has collected "dirt" on fellow NFL owners, league executives, employees and coaches.

Some of the information he collected came, in part, from private investigative firms.

Because of that dirt, Snyder has also reportedly told someone close to him that he has enough information to "blow up" Goodell and some fellow owners, adding "they can't f--k with me" and "the NFL is a mafia" in which "all the owners hate each other."

Yet another owner pushed back at that notion, saying: "That's not true. All the owners hate Dan."

Snyder has faced multiple investigations over the years, and one owner said: "He's backed into a corner. He's behaving like a mad dog cornered."

A Commanders spokesperson said the idea that Snyder has said these things and collected private information on other owners and Goodell to use as de facto blackmail is "simply ridiculous and utterly false."

The team also released a statement:

As for the Wentz trade, Washington acquired the veteran quarterback from the Indianapolis Colts in March for a package that included multiple draft picks.

In Washington, Wentz has struggled to rediscover the form he showed as an MVP candidate in 2017 for the Philadelphia Eagles. He has completed 62.9 percent of his passes for 1,390 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions, and the team is off to a 1-4 start.

The poor start has been magnified by the fact that the rest of the division is arguably the best in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles at 5-0 and the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants sitting at 4-1.

When head coach Ron Rivera was asked what the difference is between his team and the rest of the division, he told reporters, "Quarterback."

Snyder was reportedly involved in acquiring that quarterback, and the team is already playing catch-up five games into the season.