NFL Rumors: Rockets' Tilman Fertitta Placed Bid on Commanders Worth over $5.5B

Houston Rockets governor Tilman Fertitta has submitted a bid to purchase the Washington Commanders, according to Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post.

The reported bid was for "slightly above $5.5 billion," although Fertitta is "not believed to be a front-runner" at this time.

Philadelphia 76ers governor Josh Harris is also considered a potential buyer for the team, along with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

Daniel Snyder and his wife, Tanya, announced in November they were considering a sale for the Commanders, although they reportedly plan to hold out for a $7 billion sale, per A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports.

The highest bid through the first round in December was $6.3 billion, per Perez.

Snyder has also "prevented" Bezos from entering the bidding, according to Josh Kosman of the New York Post. Bezos owns the Washington Post, which has been critical of Snyder during his tenure with the franchise.

Fertitta could be a legitimate buyer, however, with an estimated net worth of $8.1 billion, per Forbes. The 65-year-old is the owner of Golden Nugget Hotel and Casinos and purchased the Rockets in 2017 for $2.2 billion.

According to the Washington Post, Fertitta has visited the team's training facility in Ashburn, Virginia.

Harris has also reportedly visited the facility and could be motivated after growing up in nearby Chevy Chase, Maryland. The New Jersey Devils owner and Philadelphia 76ers governor also bid for the Denver Broncos before they were sold last year to the Walton-Penner family for an American record of $4.65 billion.

Despite the interest, the proceedings are considered to be "at a little bit of a standstill," per Maske and Jhabvala.