Report: NFL May Fine Washington, Not Likely to Force Dan Snyder to Sell Team

With an internal investigation underway into the culture of Washington's NFL franchise, commissioner Roger Goodell is not likely to force Daniel Snyder out as team owner.  

According to Mark Maske of The Washington Post, the league may fine the club pending an examination of team's internal practices after the Post's Will Hobson and Liz Clarke reported accusations of sexual harassment and unwanted advances by at least 15 women over more than a decade at the team's headquarters. 

Per Maske:

"The NFL will monitor and potentially will have some participation in that review, according to one of the people with knowledge of the league’s planning and deliberations. The NFL is empowered to discipline a team, its owner or employees under its personal conduct policy. That person and another familiar with the NFL’s inner workings said a fine of the team is expected if the allegations are substantiated."

This is the second time in two years Washington's culture has been called into question after a New York Times report by Juliet Macur in 2018 found the franchise was exploiting the team's cheerleaders during topless photoshoots and forcing them to attend after-hours events as escorts to male sponsors. 

In advance Clarke and Hobson's report, Washington fired a number high-ranking employees later alleged to have sexually harassed female employees and reporters including director of pro scouting Alex Santos, assistant director of pro scouting Richard Mann II, while radio play-by-play announcer Larry Michael retired. 

Washington hired local attorney Beth Wilkinson Thursday to conduct the investigation prior to the story's release. According to Maske, the league is not taking over the investigation because "an owner was not directly implicated" as opposed to a 2018 investigation into then-Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, who faced claims of workplace misconduct against women and minorities in the office. 

Richardson was fined $2.75 million by the NFL after selling the club to David Tepper for a record $2.2 billion.

The NFL released a statement on Friday regarding the Post's findings:

"These matters as reported are serious, disturbing and contrary to the NFL's values. Everyone in the NFL has the right to work in an environment free from any and all forms of harassment. Washington has engaged outside counsel to conduct a thorough investigation into these allegations. The club has pledged that it will give its full cooperation to the investigator and we expect the club and all employees to do so. We will meet with the attorneys upon the conclusion of their investigation and take any action based on the findings." 

There is currently no public timeline for the completion of Wilkinson's investigation.