NFL Owner Reportedly Tried to Discredit Accusers

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

Hours before NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is set to testify before Congress for a hearing regarding the House Committee on Oversight and Reform’s investigation into Dan Snyder and the Washington Commanders, the committee released a 29-page memo detailing evidence it found against the Commanders owner. Snyder supposedly covered up allegations of workplace misconduct while they were happening within his organization and during the NFL’s 2020 investigation, but Snyder also tried to discredit former team employees, their attorneys and journalists with a “shadow investigation.”

“Lawyers for Mr. Snyder used their shadow investigation to create a 100-slide dossier with emails, text messages, telephone records, and social media posts from journalists, victims, and witnesses who had made credible public accusations of harassment against the Commanders,” Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.) wrote in her 29-page memo.”

Ahead of today’s hearing, the House Oversight Committee released a 29-page report detailing #Commanders owner Daniel Snyder’s role in creating a toxic workplace environment, among other findings. Roger Goodell will testify at the 11 a.m. ET hearing.https://t.co/ZfGzkVqH6B

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) June 22, 2022

The memo included a significant amount of allegations against Snyder, which included testimony from former employees that said Snyder played a role in covering up allegations of workplace misconduct while they were happening as well as during the NFL’s investigation. The report also concluded Snyder “glorified drinking and womanizing” and used fear tactics to stop employees from speaking out against the toxic workplace environment.

“The silence was the enabler and the silence was driven by fear, and that fear was justified by actions,” Jason Friedman, who had worked with the team for 20 years before being fired in 2020, testified. “It was not concocted. People were afraid to lose their jobs because they had seen so many others lose their jobs.”

Snyder was a no show at the hearings.

From Congressional hearing: "We invited Daniel Snyder to show to testify. Apparently, Mr. Snyder is in France, where he has docked his luxury yacht near a resort. That should tell you just how much respect he has for women in the workplace" [@gifdsports]pic.twitter.com/ESEgLOye58

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) June 22, 2022

Snyder will be forced to testify:

House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Maloney announces she is issuing a subpoena for Daniel Snyder to testify next week.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) June 22, 2022

There are definitely a few NFL owners who need to be stripped of their ownership for conduct detrimental to the league and sold.

Dan Snyder is certainly a candidate for that to happen.

Welcome to the game outside the game! Follow us on our Sideaction Twitter handle, Instagram, and Facebook for the latest on sports and pop culture news across the web!