Days after an ESPN report surfaced that Commanders owner Dan Snyder had used private investigators to dig up “dirt” on NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and several other team owners, Snyder sent a letter to the rest of the league’s owners decrying the report and denying that he had done so.
In the letter, Snyder described the ESPN report as “false and malicious” and denied having ever hired private investigators to follow Goodell or other owners.
“That is patently false and intended to erode the trust and goodwill between owners that I take quite seriously,” Snyder wrote. “I have never hired any private investigator to look into any owner or the Commissioner. I have never instructed or authorized my lawyers to hire any private investigator on my behalf for any such purpose. And I never would.”
The report contends that Snyder believes he has enough “dirt” on fellow NFL owners, commissioner Roger Goodell and league officials that he could “blow up” several people and organizations. One veteran owner described Snyder’s behavior similar to that of “a mad dog cornered.”
ESPN’s report comes at a time when the embattled owner is facing investigations from the league and a congressional committee looking into workplace misconduct in the franchise. Yet, Snyder reportedly told associates he does not plan to lose the Washington team “without a fight that would end with multiple casualties,” ESPN wrote.
A team spokesperson told media the report of Snyder threatening to “blow up” the league “simply ridiculous and utterly false,” and similarly denied that Snyder has used private investigators to follow league officials.
“Falsehoods and lies being spread about any of our organizations hurts our league, our players and our fans,” Snyder wrote. “And we simply cannot let them go unchallenged.”
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