Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay took a very public stance Tuesday by proclaiming that Dan Snyder should go.
He went on to say he believes team owners have the 24 votes they need to force Snyder to sell the Washington Commanders.
Pundits praised Irsay for his statement, for saying out loud what many other NFL owners have been afraid to say.
Irsay told Sports Illustrated Tuesday that he spoke out to “protect the shield,” as in the NFL logo. It’s another way of him saying the Snyder case has given the league’s image a black eye.
“I don’t like the fact that sometimes the way owners are viewed, people think we can do whatever we want, with all the sorts of issues that are out there,” Irsay said. “Because that’s not true. This is not what we stand for, this sort of thing. I mean, it’s absolutely not. So the league’s very important to me. I’ve been taught by founders of the league and, like I said, Lamar [Hunt] and Wellington [Mara] and Dan Rooney that you do what’s best for the Colts but what’s best for the league, too.
“You have to protect the shield to protect the league, and I don’t like to see the shield damaged. And right now, the shield is taking some damage from all this.”
The Snyder situation has turned into a soap opera that grows more bizarre by the day. As rumors swirled last week about a possible league vote to force Snyder to sell, the Commanders owner reportedly threatened to release dirt on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and other team owners.
A United States House Oversight Committee is investigating Snyder for allegations of sexual harassment, misogyny, and financial fraud. The NFL is conducting its own investigation. ESPN reported Tuesday that investigations must be finished before the NFL team owners could vote on possibly forcing Snyder to sell.
[Albert Breer, Sports Illusrated]
