When former Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder sat down for dinner in London last fall with longtime associates, the conversation inevitably turned to the team’s surprising resurgence back in the States. After finishing 4-13 in 2023 amid the fallout of Snyder’s tumultuous tenure, the Commanders were suddenly on the cusp of an improbable playoff run in their first season under new ownership. According to sources present at the gathering, Snyder had a blunt assessment of his former team’s rapid turnaround without him: “He f—ing hates it.”
Snyder’s Bitter End in Washington
Snyder’s resentment over losing the Commanders comes as little surprise to those who witnessed the contentious final chapter of his 24-year reign in Washington. Sources say the 58-year-old billionaire fought fiercely to maintain control, even as the NFL and fellow owners sought to push him out amid mounting scandals and investigations into workplace misconduct and financial improprieties. Pressured to sell, Snyder still tried to dictate terms, setting an NFL record asking price of $6 billion to limit potential buyers.
In the end, Snyder nearly scuttled the sale to a group led by Josh Harris at the eleventh hour in July 2023. Incensed by the league imposing a $60 million fine on his way out, Snyder petulantly threatened to renege on the $6.05 billion deal, refusing to turn over bank information needed to complete the transfer. Only after an early morning intervention by his wife Tanya and confidants like coach Joe Gibbs did a seething Snyder finally relent. “I don’t want to do this,” he told an associate.
A Divorce from the NFL
For Snyder and the NFL, the sale represented the bitter end of what had become a toxic relationship. Behind the scenes, Snyder claimed to have “dirt” on commissioner Roger Goodell and other owners that he wasn’t afraid to use. But in the end, Snyder had no allies left to save him. As Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, once Snyder’s staunchest defender, put it bluntly: “It was time for a divorce.”
Rebuilding Without Snyder
Meanwhile, Washington wasted little time charting a new course without the Snyders. Harris and his ownership group, which includes NBA legend Magic Johnson, empowered team president Jason Wright and new head coach Dan Quinn to lead a thorough housecleaning. The arrival of rookie quarterback sensation Jayden Daniels provided an instant spark, as the Commanders shocked the NFL by going 12-5 and reaching the NFC title game.
Karma is real. For years, we endured the dysfunction and toxicity at the organization under Dan Snyder and blamed all the losses on the dark cloud he brought over the team. Turns out, we were right.
– Melanie Coburn, former Washington cheerleader and marketing director
Snyder Stews From Afar
Now a world away in London, sources say Snyder has been stewing over Washington’s abrupt reversal of fortune without him. While insisting publicly that he’s enjoying a “quiet” post-NFL life, privately Snyder is said to remain “in denial” about his exile. Associates describe him as angry and “devastated” watching the “Snyder-less” Commanders thrive. “It’s killing him,” says one source.
As the resurgent Commanders stand one win away from an improbable Super Bowl appearance, Snyder’s shadow still lingers over the team he once micromanaged. But for the players, coaches and long-suffering fans now savoring a new era in Washington, not even the specter of their disgraced former owner can dim the excitement of a team – and a franchise – reborn.
