Legendary broadcaster Al Michaels thinks that the NFL are hoping Washington Commanders boss Dan Snyder 'sells the team', with fans even booing the owner on Thursday Night Football.
Washington picked up their second win of the season on Thursday with an underwhelming 12-7 win over the Chicago Bears. But although they scraped through on the field, controversy remains away from it.
Snyder and the Commanders faced a year-long investigation by the NFL after 40 past and present employees of the organisation made allegations of sexual harassment against Snyder and other executives within the team. And speaking on Thursday Night Football, Michaels explained he believes the NFL wants Snyder to sell up.
"Just my feeling, I think what the league would love, is for [Dan] Snyder to sell the team, not have to go to a vote, but just sell the team," Michaels said on the broadcast. "He's just becoming a major problem around the league, obviously.
"And, we’ll see what happens. I think it’s got a long way to go, and Dan [is] very well-known for digging his heels into the ground."
The fans also chanted "sell the team" during a post-game interview with rookie running-back Brian Robinson Jr, as they voiced their opinion. Snyder was in attendance at Soldier Field, so would have been aware of the jeers.
ESPN reported that Snyder recently told a close associate that he has enough secrets to "blow up" several NFL owners and the league office. The report also claimed that Snyder said in a private conversation: "They can't f*** with me."
Snyder does not want to lose his beloved franchise, and will not do so without a fight. But his alleged words seem to suggest that he will go kicking and screaming if he is forced out.
The Washington boss has been with the franchise for 23 years, but hasn't achieved Super Bowl success since 1991. The team have also only appeared in the play-offs twice in the last ten years, as it's been a rocky period for the franchise.
But it doesn't look like it's going to get any easier for the Commanders, especially with head coach Ron Rivera and quarterback Carson Wentz being at the centre of media attention. Rivera stormed out of his post-game press conference on Thursday as he snapped back at claims he didn't want Wentz in the first place.
It's been claimed that the trade for Wentz was a Snyder move, and not Rivera, but the coach responded with: "Everybody wants to keep saying I didn't want to do anything with Carson, well bull****. I'm the f****** guy that pulled out the sheets of paper, that looked at the analytics, that watched the tape, and the freaking when we were in Indianapolis.
"OK. And that's what p***** me off, because the young man doesn't deserve to have that all the time. I'm sorry, I'm done."
