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NEW YORK — Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay became the first NFL owner to back the removal of Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder.
“I believe that there is merit to removing him,” Irsay told reporters gathered for the NFL owners meetings on Tuesday.
“I just think that once owners talk amongst each other they will arrive at the right decision. Unfortunately, that’s the road that we need to go down.”
While several owners have expressed a similar sentiment anonymously to Front Office Sports and other outlets, Irsay is the first to put his name to it. His comments come as Snyder and the team face five current investigations, including a second outside investigation by the NFL that remains ongoing.
The Commanders pushed back on Irsay’s comments in a statement:
“It is highly inappropriate, but not surprising, that Mr. Irsay opted to make statements publicly based on falsehoods in the media. 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. The Commanders have made remarkable progress over the past two years. 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. And they won’t.”
An NFL owner has never been removed and 24 votes would be needed to remove Snyder.
“I think there potentially could be, but we’ll see,” Irsay said when asked if at least 24 owners would vote to remove Snyder.
A source with knowledge of the matter told FOS that the NFL’s latest investigation, led by former SEC chief Mary Jo White, is close to being completed.
Irsay bristled when asked if the owners had been updated on the probe, which is looking into an allegation of harassment made against Snyder earlier this year along with the team keeping “two books” as part of alleged financial imopotrities first reported by FOS in March.
“We need to be updated a lot more thoroughly and more clearly,” Irsay said sternly. “There’s no question about that. I am looking forward to the final report.”
ESPN reported last week that investigators working on behalf of Snyder have accumulated “dirt” on at least six owners — including Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys — with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
“That is patently false and intended to erode the trust and goodwill between owners that | take quite seriously,” Snyder wrote in a letter sent to the other NFL owners on Tuesday, “I have never hired any private investigator to look into any owner or the Commissioner.,” 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.”
Irsay didn’t seem concerned if Snyder’s people investigated him.
“I could care less,” he said. “You can investigate me until the cows come home. That’s not going to back me off.”
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