Commanders Owner Dan Snyder Played A Role In Toxic Workplace, House Report Says

A House oversight committee found that Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder played a role in creating a "toxic work culture" for over 20 years, during which the NFL team was dismissive of sexual misconduct carried out by its top officials on female employees.

According to the report, Snyder inappropriately touched an employee, had workers film sexual videos of cheerleaders, and ordered women who were auditioning to be cheerleaders to walk on the field, “while he and his friends gawked from his suite through binoculars.”

The House investigation began after the NFL failed to release a review on the Commanders' workplace environment by independent attorney Beth Wilkerson that stemmed from a sexual harassment allegation. The allegation claimed that a female employee was sexually harassed numerous times by Washington executives in 2020. The report was completed in the summer of 2021 but was not turned in to the committee by the NFL until October.

The report states Snyder had interfered with Wilkerson’s report and the House investigation through witness intimidation and a private agreement with the NFL that blocked access to over 40,000 documents related to Wilkerson’s review. The NFL has also been accused of misleading the public about Wilkerson’s review.

The investigation also found that the NFL has not taken responsibility and accountability for creating workplace cultures that are free from harassment and discrimination. The league released a statement saying that it had cooperated and “voluntarily participated” in the committee’s investigation.

Snyder and his wife Tanya are exploring options to sell the Commanders. Snyder has been the owner since 1999.