Commanders Also Facing Uncertainty On the Field With Sale Pending

As anticipated, Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera didn’t break any news when it came to the pending sale of the franchise. 

“As far as what’s going on with the sale, that’s not a question for us,” Rivera said in a pre-NFL Draft media chat with reporters on Thursday. “Until it’s done, there’s not much to say.”

Even before the team went on the market in November, Rivera faced several non-football questions — many pertaining to the multiple investigations of owner Dan Snyder and his team since he was hired in January 2020. 

The test for Rivera, general manager Martin Mayhew, and other team execs is to not let the ambiguity over the team’s immediate future turn into paralysis that could persist even after the expected $6.05 billion sale to a group led by Josh Harris becomes official. 

Beyond next week’s draft, the team has a May 2 deadline to pick up the fifth-year option for defensive end Chase Young, all while dealing with around only $3 million in cap space.

Once the announcement is made and the application heads to the NFL, the league’s review process — which includes financial and criminal audits — begins. Then comes an examination by the NFL finance committee ahead of full ownership vote — a process that typically takes about two months.

Rivera said he’s not spoken with anyone from Harris’ group. While there’s nothing barring an incoming ownership group from talking to current members of the staff, they can’t exert any influence over the team until the approval process is complete.