Last March, a D.C. radio station dropped a bomb regarding the then-ongoing Washington Commanders workplace investigation. Given recent developments, it’s a report worth revisiting -- and amplifying.
On March 5, 2021, the station’s long-time morning show, The Sports Junkies, reported that they had received a portion of a written report prepared by attorney Beth Wilkinson. The report included a recommendation that the league “force the owner to divest his ownership of the team.”
The NFL quickly mobilized, calling the report “absolutely false” and contending that the league has “received no such report.” That part was accurate; as we have since learned, the league never received a written report, because the league didn’t want a written report. In the end, Commissioner Roger Goodell received an oral report from Wilkinson.
The recommendation of a forced sale arose not just from the allegations made against Daniel Snyder, but also from the way he handled the investigation.
“She was recommending this to Goodell mainly because of the coverup and lack of integrity throughout the internal investigations,” Jason Bishop of 106.7 The Fan said at the time. “Apparently [Snyder] was trying to persuade or instruct other employees not to talk to Wilkinson’s firm about what they were investigating. So there was the coverup right there. And once she reported back to Goodell that this was happening, that’s why she’s recommending he needs to go, because of the coverup.”
The station ultimately issued a correction, explaining that the report it received had not yet been sent to the league. Again, the report was never sent to the league. The NFL didn’t want anything in writing to be sent to 345 Park Avenue. Once the league had such a document, it would have become nearly impossible for the league to continue to conceal it.
Still, there’s no reason to dispute the accuracy or authenticity of the document that was obtained by 106.7 The Fan. Wilkinson clearly had prepared a written report (regardless of whether the league ultimately said “no thanks” when she offered to send it), and someone got their hands on a piece of it and sent it to the station.
It’s an important wrinkle to consider as the controversy continues to percolate in Congress. Nearly a year ago, 106.7 The Fan credibly reported that Wilkinson concluded based on her investigation that Snyder must go. Hopefully, someone with the authority, ability, and will to make that piece of information official and public will do so.
