The Washington Commanders are writing a check tied to the Dan Snyder era. Once again, another lawsuit against the Washington Commanders has been settled.
Before the franchise changed hands, an independent league investigation concluded that Snyder sexually harassed a team employee, while his executives deliberately withheld millions of dollars in revenue from other NFL teams. The National Football League responded with a sixty-million-dollar fine, one of the largest penalties ever imposed on an owner.
Originally reported on The Guardian, on Monday, the franchise agreed to pay one million dollars to the District of Columbia to resolve a consumer protection lawsuit arising from how the former ownership handled and responded to public allegations of sexual misconduct inside the organization. The case centered not just on workplace behavior, but on what team leadership told fans while the controversy unfolded.
District officials argued that statements made at the time painted an incomplete and misleading picture of the results of an internal investigation into sexual harassment and a toxic culture. Because the team sells tickets, merchandise, and marketing partnerships directly to residents, the attorney general’s office pursued the matter under consumer protection law. In their view, supporters were entitled to accurate information.
No admission of wrongdoing accompanies the settlement. Even so, the payment closes another legal chapter tied to one of the most turbulent ownership periods in modern NFL history.
Washington, DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced the Commanders’ settlement today.
“The Commanders’ current owners have commendably opened a new chapter in the team’s history, committing to ensure all employees are protected from abuse and treated with dignity,” Schwalb said in a statement. “Every business operating in the District has an obligation to provide honest information to its customers, and the Commanders’ loyal fanbase deserves no less.”
Lawsuit Against the Washington Commanders: What Were the Allegations?
The case began to pick up steam in 2020 and 2021 when former employees described inappropriate conduct and a hostile workplace environment. The NFL performed its own review of the claims, which ultimately led to substantial financial penalties for Snyder. As the criticism picked up, team leadership issued statements suggesting changes in policies would ensure that all findings had been addressed. District prosecutors later claimed those the assurances the Commander’s leadership provided did not fully reflect what investigators reported. The disparity is what ultimately became the core of the lawsuit. Rather than prolong the inevitable legal battle, the Commanders chose to settle.
Why This Case Was Different
Professional sports teams rarely face consumer protection claims over internal culture issues. That angle gave the District leverage. The argument was simple: if a business operating in Washington communicates with customers about serious allegations, the information must be truthful.
Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb said businesses in the District have a responsibility to deal honestly with the public. He acknowledged that the franchise is under new ownership and has taken steps to improve workplace standards.
Those steps were folded into the agreement. The organization committed to maintaining clear anti-harassment policies, keeping a functional human resources structure in place, and establishing defined procedures for investigating complaints.
A New Ownership Group, An Old Bill
Josh Harris and his ownership group purchased the team in 2023 for more than six billion dollars, ending Dan Snyder’s nearly twenty-five-year run as the Commanders’ owner. Since taking control, the Harris-owned group has focused on restoring the brand’s image, investing in infrastructure like a new stadium plan, and reconnecting with a disenchanted fanbase.
None of the alleged misconduct occurred under Harris. However, the legal and financial consequences of the prior era remain connected to the franchise.
End of a Dark Era
On a positive note for the Commanders, the latest settlement does not introduce any new allegations against employees. It simply reinforces that the fallout from the previous era continues to populate courtrooms long after the ownership changed from Snyder to Harris.
While the Commanders can finally bring closure to this dark chapter in the form of writing a check as opposed to a trial, fans and employees of the organization alike can begin to move forward and focus on redeveloping the culture on the field and inside headquarters.