Roger Goodell said, at a press conference from the owners meetings in New York onTuesday night, that he does not have any plans to release a report on the Washington Football Team’s reported workplace misconduct, but says that Washington owner Dan Snyder has been “held accountable.”
That questioning at the press conference came after former Washington Football Team employees delivered a letter, which was signed by 12 former employees, to the NFL’s Social Justice Working Group, in an attempt to make the findings of the league’s investigation into the team public.
The NFL decided against releasing the results of Beth Wilkinson’s investigation into Washington’s toxic workplace culture. Earlier this month, however, several emails from former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden to former Washington Football Team president Bruce Allen were leaked and deemed offensive, costing Gruden his job.
The NFL fined the Washington Football Team $10 million and Dan Snyder ceded daily functions to his wife, Tanya Snyder.
“I do think he’s been held accountable for, I think the organization has been held accountable,” Goodell said.
“And I think we’ve given an unprecedented fine. Dan Snyder has not been involved with the franchise for now almost four months. We, obviously, have focused more on making sure that the policies that they had, many of which they put into place prior to this investigation, but also coming out of it, were put into place and that they will be maintained, and that we can ensure that that will happen at this organization.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked if Dan Snyder has been held accountable for the findings of the investigation into the WFT’s workplace environment: pic.twitter.com/bz3fj9YVEs
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) October 26, 2021
Roger Goodell
Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, sent a letter to National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Rodger Goodell requesting documents and information regarding the Washington Football Team’s (WFT) hostile workplace culture and NFL’s handling of this matter.
“The NFL has one of the most prominent platforms in America, and its decisions can have national implications,” the Chairs wrote. “The NFL’s lack of transparency about the problems it recently uncovered raise questions about the seriousness with which it has addressed bigotry, racism, sexism, and homophobia—setting troubling precedent for other workplaces. The Committee is seeking to fully understand this workplace conduct and the league’s response, which will help inform legislative efforts to address toxic work environments and workplace investigation processes; strengthen protections for women in the workplace; and address the use of non-disclosure agreements to prevent the disclosure of unlawful employment practices, including sexual harassment. We hope and trust that the NFL shares the Committee’s goal of protecting American workers from harassment and discrimination.”
On July 1, 2021, the NFL announced the outcome of the WFT investigation in a press release, which described vague and conclusory findings, including that “the workplace environment… particularly for women, was highly unprofessional,” that “[b]ullying and intimidation frequently took place,” and that “senior executives engaged in inappropriate conduct themselves.” The NFL did not disclose the full results of the investigation.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported the WFT probe raised issues beyond the scope of the underlying investigation. Leaked emails between WFT official Bruce Allen, former NFL coach Jon Gruden, and others obtained during the course of the NFL’s internal investigation exposed workplace cultures within the NFL filled with racism, misogyny, and homophobia. These emails also raised questions about the league’s impartiality in conducting internal investigations.
The Chairs have requested documents and information related to the investigations by November 4, 2021.
Los Angeles Rams head coach, and former Washington offensive coordinator, Sean McVay announced that Jake Funk has been lost for the season with a torn hamstring last night.
Funk has primarily played special teams for the Rams this season– he has played in 66% of special team snaps on the year. He has also carried the ball 1 time for 6 yards, in a win against the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Jake Funk holds the Maryland state record for career touchdowns from when he was a student at Damascus High School. He went on to play at the University of Maryland before getting drafted by the Rams with the 5th pick of the 7th round earlier this year.
The Washington Football Team will be retiring the late Sean Taylor’s jersey at halftime of today’s game. Taylor will be recognized in a press-game ceremony at 12:45 and his jersey will be retired at halftime of today’s game against the Chiefs.
The team was criticized earlier this week for not providing the public notice of the jersey retirement until earlier this week, just a few days before it was scheduled to occur.
Team President Jason Wright offered an apology to fans on Thursday, acknowledging “screwing up the execution” of the event. The statement can be seen here.
Below is more information on today’s tribute, courtesy of the Washington Football Team.
During the Washington Football Team’s October 17th matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, the team will honor nearly 100 alumni at FedExField, while also paying a special tribute to Washington alumnus and football legend, Sean Taylor. Taylor’s family will join the team on-field for a pre-game ceremony in which Taylor’s contributions to the team will be remembered alongside the retirement of his jersey number, 21. This will mark only the third time in the team’s 89-year history that a jersey number will be officially retired.
The team also will formally commemorate the renaming of the road leading to FedExField as Sean Taylor Road with family and friends of Taylor before the game. Sean Taylor’s family will have the opportunity for a private visit at Taylor’s locker on the Club Level, which has been perfectly preserved from his last game, and will enjoy the game from specially reserved suites. Co-owners Dan and Tanya Snyder were especially close with Taylor and view him as an important part of the team’s legacy. They have remained supportive of his family over the years and will be helping to host the family during the game.
Taylor played for Washington during all four seasons of his NFL career. After being selected with the 5th overall and first Washington Football Team pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Taylor established himself as one of the top young safeties in the league and a fan favorite. Following a successful rookie year, Taylor started 15 games and led Washington to its first playoff win in six years. By 2006, Taylor was one of the premier defenders in the NFL. Then, tragically on Nov. 27, 2007, Sean Taylor’s life was cut short after being shot during a robbery attempt on his Florida home. Posthumously, Taylor was honored by the NFL and named a 2nd team All-Pro selection in 2007. The following year, Washington announced he would be inducted as only the 43rd member of the Washington Ring of Fame.
“I came into the NFL the same year as Sean Taylor and immediately his athletic ability, resilience, grit, and relentless work ethic set him apart. I and many others looked to him as a role model,” said Jason Wright, Washington Football Team President. “The fact that he was tragically taken so early hurt our player community, but also our fans, coaches, and staff. We will continue to remember him and hold him up as an example of professionalism and excellence, and we will all strive to mirror his excellence in our own ways.”
Trevon Diggs was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2020 draft. The Gaithersburg native now leads the NFL with 6 interceptions. His older brother, Stefon Diggs, who was drafted in the fifth round by the Minnesota Vikings in 2015 is also considered one of the best wide receivers in the league.
Trevon played for the Wootton Patriots before transferring to Avalon. At Avalon, Diggs played on both sides of the ball and became a four-star recruit and was two-time All-Met as a wide receiver.
After his time at Avalon Diggs continued his academic and athletic career at the University of Alabama. By his junior year in 2018, Diggs had become a full-time starter for Coach Nick Saban’s defense until he broke his foot midseason, ending the 2018 season with 20 tackles, one interception, six pass breakups in six games.
By his senior year, Diggs started 12 games and posted 37 tackles and two fumble recoveries. (including a 100-yard score). During his senior year, he was a third-team AP All-American and second-team All-SEC.
As a rookie, Diggs played in 12 games and started 12 of them. He had 58 tackles, one forced fumble, a sack, and 3 interceptions. This year, his second in the league, he has 6 interceptions in just 5 games and leads the NFL.
Many in the area watched the Washington Football Team beat the New York Giants in a back and forth game on Thursday night, but the action has eyes across the world on the gam, bringing in the highest viewership of any Thursday Night Football game since week 3 of the 2018 season.
Per the NFL:
Total viewership for Thursday night’s Thursday Night Football game featuring the Washington Football Team’s 30-29 win over the New York Giants was 7.9 million viewers (TV + Digital) – making it NFL Network’s most-watched exclusive Thursday Night Footballgame since 2018 (New York Jets vs. Cleveland Browns, 2018 Week 3).
The 7.9 million viewers for Giants-Washington on TV and Digital is up +25% vs. the 2020 NFL Network exclusive Thursday Night Football three-game average (6.3 million P2+) and up +9% versus last year’s Week 2 Thursday Night Football matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns (7.2 million). Giants-Washington was television’s most-watched telecast of the day.
Digital streaming across NFL digital platforms, Giants and Washington mobile properties, and Yahoo Sports mobile properties delivered an average minute audience of 532K – the highest digital average minute audience ever for an NFL Network exclusive Thursday Night Football game.
The defending NFC East champion Washington Football Team will head to Buffalo to take on the Bills in week 3.
Updated 9/16 with additional information and commentary on the week 2 matchup
In what seem like familiar words, Taylor Heinicke was named the Washington Football Team’s starting quarterback today after week 1 starter Ryan Fitzpatrick was placed on injured reserve after suffering an injury this past Sunday (hip sublexation).
Heinicke started last season’s playoff game against the eventual Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In that game Heinicke impressed going 26/44 for 36 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
He came into the league as an undrafted free agent out of Old Dominion for the Minnesota Vikings in 2015, where he spent two seasons. He was then on the main roster for the Houston Texans in 2017 and the Carolina Panthers, with current Washington Head Coach Ron Rivera, in 2018. He spent the 2020 XFL season as a backup for St. Louis BattleHawks.
Prior to his playoff start, Heinicke started one game in his NFL career, as a member of the Carolina Panthers back in 2018. During that game he suffered a hyperextension of his left arm (non-throwing arm) in the second quarter, but played through it for most of the game before being replaced by currently injured Washington quarterback, Kyle Allen. Heinicke landed on injured reserve for the rest of the season following the game.
In the game he started, a 10-24 loss against the Falcons, he went 33 of 53 for 274 yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions.
Heinicke relieved Dwayne Haskins in the fourth quarter of last season’s game against the Carolina Panthers and fared well, completing 12 of 19 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown in a 13-20 loss against the Panthers.
Washington will play the New York Giants on Thursday, September 16th at 8:20 on the NFL Network.
Both teams are 0-1 and along with the Dallas Cowboys (also 0-1) are a game behind the division-leading Philadelphia Eagles (1-0).
Washington is currently a 3.5 point favorite, but New York has won its last 5 games in Washington and starting quarterback Daniel Jones is undefeated against Washington as well.
New York struggled to get things going against the Denver Broncos last week, losing 28-13, while Washington lost a tough one to the Chargers after they were unable to slow Justin Herbert down, losing 20-16.
Yesterday, NBCSports Washington reporter JP Finlay tweeted a statement released by Washington Football Team Co-CEO and owner Tanya Snyder.
In her statement, she references comments that were selectively quoted out of context regarding recent issues within the organization.
The appearance by Tanya Snyder on NFL insider Adam Schefter’s podcast also led to some confusion regarding the new name of the team earlier in the week.
During her appearance, it seemed as though Snyder announced the 8 remaining names in contention for the Washington Football Team’s new nickname.
This came a couple weeks after Team President Jason Wright announced that the team had narrowed it down to 3 potential names.
The day after the podcast Adam Schefter tweeted clarification on Tanya Snyder’s comments, stating that a Washington Football Team spokesperson said the list of eight names she mentioned were a selection of names that were highlighted in the WFT’s Making the Brand Video, and not a final list of potential name candidates.
9/8/21, 10:30AM Update: Adam Schefter has tweeted clarification on Tanya Snyder’s comments on his podcast, stating that a Washington Football Team spokesperson said the list of eight names were a selection of names that were highlighted in the WFT’s Making the Brand Video, and not a final list of potential name candidates.
Tanya Snyder, co-CEO of the Washington Football Team and wife of team co-owner Dan Snyder, announced the final 8 names that remain in contention as the nickname for the Washington Football Team via Adam Schefter’s podcast.
Team President Jason Wright had previously mentioned that 3 names were in contention, but the 8 names that Tanya Snyder announced were Red Hogs, Defenders, Armada, Presidents, Brigade, Commanders, Red Wolves and Washington Football Team.
NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay tweeted that he has “said for a while” that Commanders will be the name that’s chosen and is sticking with that opinion as we get closer.
The team previously announced that they will remain the Washington Football Team for this upcoming season.
The Washington Football Team has released third year wide receiver Steven Sims, as reported by JP Finlay of NBC Sports.
Sims started four games over the last two seasons, serving primarily as the team’s slot receiver. Sims has caught 61 balls for 575 yards and five touchdowns in his two year career here in Washington.
He recorded the only receiving touchdown for Washington in the wild card playoff game against the Buccaneers this past season.
He came in as an undrafted free agent in 2019 out of the University of Kansas.
Earlier this week, Washington Football Team President Jason Wright announced that the team has narrowed the search for a new name down to three options.
The announcement came in an Instagram video that blurred out Wright‘s mouth while bleeping his voice, leaving fans to speculate on the new name.
According to Sports Illustrated, “Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera says the final team name will “suit” fans from all three corners of the DMV, not just DC.”
The Tae and Todd Washington Football Podcast put out a tweet, which has gained a lot of traction, speculating that the three names that went through are Commanders, Wolves, and Redtails.
As with most changes, fans have been all over the place with their response to the potential names. Knowing that the team will not be returning to its former name, what name would you like to see announced?
