Takeaways from the House Oversight Committee Hearing on the Commanders

The House Oversight Committee has wrapped a Wednesday hearing into the workplace environment inside the Washington Commanders. Commissioner Roger Goodell appeared remotely and after reading prepared remarks to the Committee, he answered questions from the members of the House Oversight Committee.

Washington owner Daniel Snyder was invited to testify, but did not appear, citing a trip overseas on behalf of the Commanders.

Here are some takeaways from the hearing.

Daniel Snyder was aware of the “toxic” culture in Washington

(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Prior to the start of the hearing, the Committee released a 29-page report detailing their own findings regarding not just the workplace environment in Washington, but the numerous investigations into Washington’s culture. As outlined in the report:

…he Committee’s investigation also sheds light on the extent of Mr. Snyder’s role in creating and fostering the Commanders’ toxic workplace. This new evidence suggests that Mr. Snyder’s efforts to influence the Wilkinson Investigation may have been intended to conceal or distract from his own role in this troubling conduct.

The Committee outlined numerous examples of Snyder’s involvement in and/or knowledge of troubling events in Washington. For example:

Snyder learned that a member of the coaching staff had groped an employee, and instead of taking action against the coach, advised the employee to “stay away from the coach;”
Snyder terminated female employees who engaged in consensual relationships with male employees, but those male employees faced no such repercussions;
The team “glorified drinking and womanizing,” including Snyder himself pressuring a long-time employee to “drink excessively.”

With Snyder not present for the hearing, he was not in a position to rebut these charges. A statement was released as the hearing began on behalf of the owner, referring to the hearing as a…