'There Is Merit To Remove' Dan Snyder As Commanders Owner, Fellow NFL Owner Says

ASHBURN, VA — Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay told reporters on Tuesday that he believes there is merit to remove Dan Snyder as owner of the Washington Commanders.

Irsay made his comments at the NFL's fall league meeting in New York. Snyder was not present at the meeting; his wife, Tanya Snyder, has represented the franchise at league events since July 2021.

In September and October, ESPN and The Washington Post reported that owners have soured on Snyder. One anonymous owner said they need to convince Snyder to sell, while another anonymous owner noted that "all the owners hate Dan [Snyder]."

Irsay is the first team owner to speak on the record about Snyder's possible removal.

"I believe that there's merit to remove him as owner," Irsay told reporters. "I think it's something that we have to review, we have to look at all the evidence and we have to be thorough going forward, but I think it's something that has to be given serious consideration."

See also: Commanders Owner Dan Snyder Accused Of Sexual Assault

Snyder and the Commanders organization are the subject of two ongoing investigation. One investigation is being led by the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform while the other is being conducted by attorney Mary Jo White on behalf of the NFL. Both investigations are looking into claims that Snyder fostered a hostile work environment and a culture of sexual harassment as an owner.

In 2021, the NFL completed its initial investigation into Snyder's franchise and found that he was responsible for the organization's toxic work environment. He stepped away from day-to-day operations and the franchise was fined $10 million.

Read more: Washington Football Team Fined $10M After NFL Investigation

Removing Snyder as an owner would require votes from 24 of the 31 other NFL owners. Irsay believes there may be enough votes to remove him.

"I think potentially there will be, but we will see," Irsay said. "I want to hold my final opinion until I see the whole report in thorough. But I have my concerns. At this point, I’m very concerned that he needs to be removed."

Last week, ESPN reported that Snyder had employed private investigators to collect "dirt" on other NFL owners. Snyder and the Commanders organization denied the claim.

"You can investigate me until the cows come home, that's not going to back me off," Irsay said on Tuesday. "Private investigators or any of that stuff, to me, I just shrug it off. It's irrelevant to me. I don't know about any of that stuff, I just focus on the issue at what's happened in Washington and to me it's gravely concerning."

A Commanders spokesperson told Patch they were disappointed in Irsay's comments, though they were not surprised.

"It is highly inappropriate, but not surprising, that Mr. Irsay opted to make statements publicly based on falsehoods in the media," a Commanders spokesperson said. "It is unfortunate that Mr. Irsay decided to go public with his statement today, while an investigation is in process, and the team has had no opportunity to formally respond to allegations."

In the same statement, the same spokesperson claimed that the Commanders had progressed in the last two year, and the Snyders would not sell the team.

"We are confident that, when he has an opportunity to see the actual evidence in this case, Mr. Irsay will conclude that there is no reason for the Snyders to consider selling the franchise," the spokesperson told Patch. "And they won’t."

NFL.com's Ian Rapoport published a letter that Snyder sent to the other owners on Tuesday. In his letter, Snyder rejects the recent ESPN report that claimed he was investigating his fellow owners.

Read more: Dan Snyder Has Dirt To 'Blow Up' NFL Owners, Commissioner

"That is patently false and intended to erode the trust and goodwill between owners that I take quite seriously," Snyder wrote. "I have never instructed or authorized my lawyers to hire any private investigator on my behalf for any such purpose. And I never would."

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell hosted a press conference on Tuesday and spoke about Snyder, Irsay, and the league's investigation into the Commanders.

Goodell noted that there was not a timeline for White's investigation into Snyder. "It's an ongoing investigation," Goodell said. "There were no internal reports. We have not gotten into reports. We do not provide any because we do not have them."

An anonymous source told the Associated Press that White's investigation is nearing completion.

Goodell said he urged owners to reserve judgment until the investigation is complete. "Speculation without facts is not a very positive thing to do," Goodell said. "I think everyone deserves to have facts and to make sure those decisions are made with facts. And the membership will have that opportunity."

Irsay said a vote could be held eventually, but he wasn't sure when that would be.

"It could be at the March meeting," Irsay said. "But I know we want to be thorough and look at everything carefully."

The NFL owners will meet from March 26 to March 29, 2023 at the league's annual meeting in Arizona.