Events have unfolded rapidly for the Washington franchise this week as the team announced its intention to drop the Redskins nickname it has used since 1933 and the Washington Post published an article detailing the long-term sexual harassment charges that It took place in the team’s offices. Three lifelong employees, Larry Michael, Alex Santos, and Richard Mann, all named criminals in the article, left the organization in the days leading up to its publication, in a clear effort by the team to get ahead of the story, though only be a little.
Head coach Ron Rivera was the only person from the Redskins organization to speak officially on behalf of the team in the Washington Post article, published Thursday night. A day later, owner Dan Snyder released a public statement that was criticized by some for appearing impersonal and not going far enough.
Adam Schefter reported today that Snyder and his wife Tanya sent a stronger, more personal statement to all members of the organization.
Equipment,
We are sad and disappointed, like all of you, after reading the story on The Washington Post Yesterday. On behalf of the organization, we want to apologize to each one of you and to all those affected by this situation.
Actions in history have no place in our franchise or in society. As you may already know, when the above issues outlined in the article were first presented to us, they were addressed at that time. However, some of these issues occurred only in the past few days and we have subsequently made changes and addressed them as well.
Clearly, there is work to be done to build a better organizational culture. We need to improve and now is the time.
To create the culture we all want, we need your help. We want you to be part of this process. As we move forward, you will hear more from our leadership team in the near future about this action plan.
In closing, we want to thank you for all you do for this organization. This offseason has been difficult and difficult, and their work and commitment are everything. We are committed to ensuring that this organization promises a high level of personal conduct, while representing the values of inclusion, respect and diversity.
Sincerely,
Dan and Tanya
The franchise, so deprived of effective leadership, has a long way to go in many areas, both on and off the field. As fans, there seems to be little we can do other than cross our fingers, close our eyes, and hope this time is different.
