NFL Rumors: Jeff Bezos Clear Front-Runner to Buy Commanders If He Pursues Purchase

If Jeff Bezos wants to buy the Washington Commanders, the franchise is reportedly his to lose.

The Washington Post reported potential buyers have settled on the reality that Bezos could easily outbid them if he chose to purchase the franchise from Dan Snyder.

The Amazon founder is the world's fourth-richest person with a net worth of $120.5 billion, per Forbes.

Snyder announced his intention to explore a sale of the Commanders earlier this month amid public and private pressure from fans and other owners. The franchise has been embroiled in controversy throughout Snyder's 23-year tenure as owner. DC Attorney General Karl Racine recently announced a lawsuit filed against Snyder, the Commanders and the NFL, saying the parties intentionally tried to deceive the city during an investigation into workplace misconduct.

While Bezos has been exploring the potential ownership of a sports franchise for years and the Commanders are a natural fit given his business holdings in the nation's capital and its surrounding areas, his attempt to buy the team could be fraught. Peter King of NBC Sports reported Snyder would never sell to Bezos because he "detests" the Washington Post, which Bezos owns.

The Washington Post has been consistently critical of Snyder over the course of his ownership, though it's hard to call any criticism of him unfair given how far the team has fallen during his stewardship.

NFL owners could and likely would attempt to force Snyder's hand into selling to Bezos if his bid winds up being the strongest among interested parties. Forbes values the Commanders at $5.6 billion, but it's a virtual certainty they will sell for more than that figure—increasing franchise values around the league by proxy.

The NFL is unlikely to allow Snyder to sell the Commanders to a lesser offer over a personal grudge.