Friday was a good day for the Washington leaders, as the team introduced new majority owner Josh Harris after the $6.05 billion sale that ended Dan Snyder’s tenure in the NFL.
Snyder didn’t leave in complete silence, as did he and his wife, Tanya One final statement was issued Harris and co-owners congratulate and thank all co-owners of over two decades. They said they would spend their newfound free time with family and focus on causes such as breast cancer research:
We congratulate Harris Ownership Group on the Association’s unanimous approval yesterday of its purchase of Washington Leaders. We are proud of building the most diverse leadership group on any NFL team, including having the highest representation of women, underrepresented groups, and the first full-time black female coach in league history.
We are incredibly grateful to football’s best fans, faithful leaders, for the passion and unwavering support they have given this team and those who have represented it on and off the field. From the players who fought each week for that extra capacity, to those who worked behind the scenes to enhance every aspect of the organization, we thank you for your hard work, dedication, and commitment to our team, our fans, your pursuit of excellence, and most importantly, each other.
Being the overseers of this historic organization for the past quarter century has been a privilege for a lifetime. When we bought the team nearly 25 years ago, Dan was quoted as saying, “I’m a fan. A huge fan. It’s that simple.” This is as true today as it was then. Over the next semester, we look forward to spending time with family and devoting our energy to the causes that matter most to us, including strengthening our longstanding support for breast cancer research.
This statement clearly left a lot to be desired, as few people would actually view the Snyder’s Commanders estate with anything like pride.
He does not acknowledge the devastating Mary Jo White report or the $60 million NFL fine that accompanied it, which was announced the same day the NFL owners unanimously endorsed Harris. In no uncertain terms, this report asserted that Snyder had sexually harassed former driving employee Tiffany Johnston and, at one point, attempted to physically force her into a limo.
The report also said it corroborated allegations that Snyder’s team intentionally concealed at least $11 million from the NFL so as not to be subject to revenue sharing (with up to $44.49 million hidden elsewhere) and improperly withheld security deposits from fans in its thank-you statement.
Of course, White’s report and the topics it covered were only the final chapter of what might be considered the worst period for a sports owner in American history. Snyder’s greed, incompetence, and outright brutality permeated throughout the organization with little success on the field, with legions of fans abandoning the NFL’s most valuable team.
Leaders are no longer Snyder’s problem and Snyder’s is no one’s problem. It’s no surprise that Snyder didn’t even bother to respond with his latest statement, because there was nothing left to say.
