Report: NFL Knew of Daniel Snyder's $1.6M Sexual Misconduct Settlement in 2009

The NFL was reportedly aware of Washington Football Team owner Daniel Snyder's sexual misconduct settlement in the same year it was negotiated. 

Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the league knew about the $1.6 million settlement in 2009. 

Will Hobson, Beth Reinhard, and Liz Clarke of The Washington Post obtained a copy of the agreement that Snyder paid to a former team employee who accused him of sexual misconduct toward her on his private plane. 

The story comes after Hobson and Clarke reported in July about alleged sexual harassment and threats of retaliation against 15 former team employees dating back to 1999. 

That report didn't state Snyder was harassing any of the women, but he was accused of belittling employees and helping to foster a culture that allowed the alleged behavior to occur. 

Florio noted the NFL declined to comment about its knowledge of Snyder's settlement, "citing an ongoing investigation."

After the Washington Football Team initially announced an internal investigation into the harassment allegations, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reported in August that the league was taking over the investigation. 

Last week, one day after the latest report from the Washington Post, Snyder submitted a court filing in the state of Maryland (h/t ESPN's John Keim) accusing Football Team minority owner Dwight Schar of extortion and trying to force him to sell the franchise:

"The Post's article includes several quotes from the filing that improperly give the misleading impression, based on Plaintiffs' position and status, that there was merit to the allegations of misconduct. Plaintiffs' purpose in submitting their supplemental filing is now clear: to try to continue to smear me in an effort to gain leverage in this business dispute."

In 2017, then-Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson put the franchise up for sale amid multiple allegations of workplace misconduct.

L. Jon Wertheim and Viv Bernstein of Sports Illustrated reported the allegations included sexually suggestive language and behavior by Richardson and that the team made four "significant" financial payouts to at least four former female employees.

League spokesman Joe Lockhart told reporters in December 2017 the NFL didn't pressure Richardson to sell the franchise. 

Snyder bought the Washington Football Team in May 1999.