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What you need to know from Roger Goodell’s testimony on Daniel Snyder, Commanders

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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell testified for hours Wednesday morning before the Oversight and Reform Committee of the House of Representatives. The committee is exploring the alleged misconduct of Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder and the NFL team’s extensive history of workplace and sexual harassment and human resources issues that triggered widespread complaints from cheerleaders and other female employees.

Roger Goodell testifies about Commanders/Daniel Snyder’s history of ‘toxic’ workplace culture

Goodell didn’t deny the past existence of significant problems, characterizing the NFC East franchise’s environment as “unprofessional and unacceptable” and “toxic” while adding that he is confident “the workplace at the Commanders today bears no resemblance to the workplace that has been described to this committee.”

Goodell acknowledged it was extremely bad, saying, “I have not seen a workplace in the NFL that is anywhere near what we saw in the context of that period of time for the Washington Commanders.”

Goodell’s virtual presence from New York was performed voluntarily. Goodell was peppered with questions for hours by Congress with the conversation veering away from Snyder’s misconduct, including an allegation he committed a sexual assault on a private jet in 2009, to extraneous issues such as Deflategate, Jack Del Rio being fined $100,000 by Ron Rivera for his comments on the Jan. 6 insurrection, Barstool’s Dave Portnoy not being credentialed by the league, and other unrelated issues such as inflation, gasoline prices, tampon shortages, and racism that crossed political party lines.

Committee to subpoena Daniel Snyder to testify

Snyder did not comply with a request to testify as he was in France on business.

That prompted Rep. Carolyn Maloney, the committee chair, to state that she will issue a subpoena for Snyder to appear next week.

“The Committee will not be deterred in its investigation to uncover the truth of workplace misconduct at the Washington Commanders,” Maloney said. “Mr. Snyder has not been held accountable. His refusal to testify sends a clear message that he is more concerned about protecting himself than coming clean with the American people. If the NFL is unwilling or unable to hold Mr. Snyder accountable, then I am prepared to do so.

“The NFL is unwilling or unable to hold Mr. Snyder accountable. That is why I am announcing now my intent to issue a subpoena for Mr. Snyder for a deposition next week. The committee will not be deterred in its investigation into the Washington Commanders.”

Goodell was asked if he feels Snyder has been held accountable for Commanders’ workplace conduct issues. He stated, “I do,” reiterating that dramatic changes have been enacted by the team to improve and prevent further workplace issues.

When Goodell was asked if he will remove Snyder from ownership, he replied accurately that he doesn’t hold that authority.

Goodell was pressed on whether Snyder will be held accountable for not voluntarily appearing before the committee.

“I do not have any responsibility for whether he appears before Congress,” Goodell said.

Snyder, widely criticized for overseeing an organization rife with scandals, cited business issues as to why he didn’t attend.

“Apparently, Mr. Snyder is in France, where he has docked his luxury yacht near a resort town,” Maloney said. “That should tell you just how much respect he has for women in the workplace.”

Former Washington safety Su’a Cravens rips Snyder

Su’a Cravens wrote on Twitter that he hopes Snyder is held accountable for his actions:

“I can’t wait until this poor excuse for a human being is forced to sell his team! He’s ruined so many careers and made life difficult for so many that did no wrong. Karma really comes full circle. The funds of the wicked will be transferred to the righteous!”

Goodell was explicitly asked if Snyder notified him that a woman accused him of harassment that led to a payment of $1.6 million, and he said, “I don’t recall.”

Goodell affirmed that a failure to notify would violate the NFL personal conduct policy. Goodell was asked multiple questions about why the Beth Wilkinson investigation wasn’t published in a written report, as other workplace investigations, including the Miami Dolphins bullying scandal, were, and he repeatedly cited the privacy of cooperating witnesses. When asked why that was the case when many witnesses have spoken publicly, Goodell didn’t have much of an answer.

Several times, Goodell pointed out that Mary Jo White is currently conducting an investigation into the Commanders, and the findings will be made public.

Past reports regarding Snyder and the team’s conduct

Prior to the hearing, the committee released a report alleging that Snyder conducted a “shadow investigation” about the allegations with the Commanders.

In the 29-page memo, the Oversight Committee cited an eight-month investigation where Snyder investigated whistle-blowers and journalists to determine who were sources for Washington Post articles and sought to blame former team president Bruce Allen for the workplace issues.

The memo noted how Snyder used a common-interest legal agreement from the team and the league to provide “derogatory information” about cooperating sources.

The memo noted how Snyder filed a defamation lawsuit against an India-based website to obtain phone records, emails, and other documents.

“A close examination of Mr. Snyder’s [petitions] suggests that his focus was not on discovering the sources of the MEAWW articles but on those who were behind the Washington Post exposés,” the memo stated. It further added these efforts “may be less of a bona fide effort to obtain evidence supportive of the claims in the Indian Action, than they are an effort to burden and harass individuals formerly associated with the Washington Football Team who may have acted as sources for The Washington Post.”

Committee: Snyder ‘sexualized’ cheerleaders

The committee reached the conclusion that Snyder “sexualized” the cheerleaders and ordered the firing of two cheerleaders for having “romantic relationships” with former tight end Chris Cooley.

“The female employees were fired, the male employee was — there were no repercussions other than he was restricted from additional sex with the cheerleaders,” the deposition stated. “Snyder’s decision was part of a pattern of firing female employees who engaged in consensual sexual relationships with male members of the team’s football operations in order to ‘minimize distractions, temptations for players.’”

Additionally, former personnel executive Alex Santos was fired for sexually harassing female employees and reporters who covered the team. Former Commanders broadcaster and executive Larry Michael was caught on video making inappropriate comments and had been accused of multiple instances of sexual misconduct. He resigned from his job after the Washington Post reported the allegations.

Goodell sees positive changes

Prior to his appearance, Goodell read in its entirety a six-page statement that cited the problems with the Commanders and the improvements he has seen, including new policies and hiring Jason Wright as team president to replace Allen.

“Let me start by expressing my gratitude to the men and women who shared their experiences during the investigation, and to Beth Wilkinson and her team, who did their work with the highest degree of integrity and professionalism,” Goodell said.

“It required substantial courage for many to relive their painful experiences and tell their individual stories. No one should experience workplaces like the one they described, especially not in the National Football League. I can say to every victim unequivocally that their willingness to come forward has contributed to a substantially improved workplace. It is clear to me that the workplace in Washington was unprofessional and unacceptable in numerous respects: bullying, widespread disrespect toward colleagues, use of demeaning language, public embarrassment, and harassment.

“Moreover, for a prolonged period of time the Commanders had a woefully deficient HR function, particularly with respect to reporting practices and recordkeeping. As a result, we imposed unprecedented discipline on the club – monetary penalties of well over $10 million, and requirements that the club implement a series of recommendations and allow an outside firm to conduct regular reviews of their workplace.

“In addition, for the past year, Daniel Snyder has not attended League or committee meetings, and to the best of my knowledge, has not been involved in day-to-day operations at the Commanders. The cheerleader program has been entirely revamped and is now a co-ed dance team under new leadership.

“And the most recent independent workplace report, which we have shared with the committee, confirms that an entirely new, highly-skilled, and diverse management team is in place and that there has been a ‘substantial transformation of [the team’s] culture, leadership, and Human Resources practices.’ To be clear – the workplace at the Commanders today bears no resemblance to the workplace that has been described to this committee.”

As for the confidentiality issues Goodell repeatedly cited, he stated:

“We did not receive a written report of Ms. Wilkinson’s findings for compelling reasons that continue to this day,” Goodell said. “A critical element of any workplace review is broad participation by both current and former employees. Encouraging employees to come forward and share their experiences, which were frequently painful and emotional was essential to identifying both the organization’s failures and how to fix them. To encourage this participation, Ms. Wilkinson promised confidentiality to any current or former employee.

“For this reason, shortly after we assumed oversight of Ms. Wilkinson’s work, we determined that a comprehensive oral briefing would best allow us to receive the information necessary both to evaluate the workplace as it was, and to ensure that the team put in place the policies and processes to reform that workplace — all while preserving the confidentiality of those who participated in the investigation.

“Oral reports are often used by the NFL and other organizations in conducting internal investigations and for other issues. If appropriate, we will make public a summary of the key findings, as we did here. We have been open and direct about the fact that the workplace culture at the Commanders was not only unprofessional, but toxic for far too long.

“I am aware that some victims, including those who appeared before this committee, each of whom was invited to participate in Beth Wilkinson’s investigation, have chosen to share their experiences publicly and I fully respect that choice. Many others made a different choice and it is my responsibility to honor the commitment to protect their confidentiality.”

Several Republican committee members, including James Comer of Kentucky, took issue with Congress investigating the NFL, a private business.

It got heated.

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) asked Maloney, “What is the purpose of continuing this?” as she banged the gavel calling for order.

His loud reply: “You can bang the gavel all you want, I don’t care.”





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Taylor Swift Is Shown Chugging a Beer on the Jumbotron at Super Bowl 58

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Global superstar Taylor Swift made it to the big game to support her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce. In the second quarter, it was evident that she was having a good time at the Super Bowl after taking a 12-hour flight from Tokyo the night prior.

Taylor Swift Seen Chugging Beer at Super Bowl

Swift’s attendance has been highly anticipated, as many fans questioned whether she would be able to make it to the big game since she had been in Japan until Saturday for her Eras Tour.

Sure enough, she made it to the Super Bowl and was seen making a grand entrance alongside Blake Lively and Ice Spice.

Swift made it back to the States with plenty of time to make it to Allegiant Stadium to support Kelce. After a leg of her Eras Tour, where she performed several nights in Japan, the singer appeared to let loose.

In a box full of friends, Swift was shown chugging a beer with Ashley Avignone. She was shown on the jumbotron and slammed her cup down after she finished her beer.

There was a mix of cheers and boos as Swift was shown on the big screen, and a long pass to Mecole Hardman was the only highlight of the first half for Swift and her friends. The 49ers led the Chiefs, 10-0, late in the second quarter.

On social media, Swift garnered plenty of support from NFL fans.

If you’re hating on her you can kick rocks man she’s the best,” one user posted on X

“The one thing I learned this season is that she is actually fun,” another said. 

“Booing Taylor Swift chugging a beer is so soft. She’s just one of us now and I respect it ,” another posted. 

At the time of the beer chugging, Kelce, Taylor Swift’s boyfriend, has had one catch for a single yard. It came on the first possession, which ended up being a three-and-out. The Kansas City Chiefs hadn’t done much otherwise.

They did have a deep pass play to Hardman, which put them in the red zone, but Isiah Pacheco fumbled on the very next play — one that Kelce was surprisingly on the sideline for.

Swift and Kelce have garnered much media attention as their romance has taken off throughout this NFL season.

Swift was able to support her boyfriend at many of his games throughout the final stretch of the season, as her Eras Tour was on a break. But starting on Feb. 7, she went back on the road.

MORE: NFL World Reacts to Unbelievable Super Bowl Trick Play

Despite performing in Tokyo the night before the Super Bowl, she was able to make it in time to support her boyfriend due to the time difference and is having a good time doing so.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.





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What Happened to the 49ers Linebacker?

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The San Francisco 49ers sustained a massive blow during the second quarter of Super Bowl 58, as linebacker Dre Greenlaw left the game on a medical cart.

CBS Sports confirmed that the veteran Greenlaw suffered an Achilles tear, ruling him out for the rest of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

What Happened to Dre Greenlaw?

The outside linebacker, who had already been battling past injuries to his hamstrings and calves, left with what appeared to be a leg injury.

And somehow, his left leg looked like it buckled as he tried to trot onto the field with the Niners’ defense.

Greenlaw clutched his left leg in agony before being helped off the field.

CBS Sports sideline reporter Evan Washburn reported that the outside linebacker left with what was ruled as a lower leg injury. He was later determined to sustain an Achilles injury.

Greenlaw was declared out for the rest of the game.

Greenlaw Carted Off in Passenger Seat

Even more noticeable was where Greenlaw sat on the cart.

He ended up leaving not in the back of the medical vehicle but ended up riding shotgun with his leg injury.

One would think that with an injury like an Achilles ailment, medical officials would try to make the player as comfortable as possible before they leave. It wasn’t the case here.

MORE: San Francisco 49ers Depth Chart

Regardless, Greenlaw was replaced by Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles for the rest of the first half. Greenlaw became the most significant injury of the game.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.





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NFL World Reacts to Epic Super Bowl Intro From CBS

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Super Bowl 58 is here and it’s going to be exciting. The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are facing off in the final game of 2023.

CBS is broadcasting the game and the opening was nothing short of amazing. How is the NFL world reacting to the electric Super Bowl-opening video?

Epic CBS Super Bowl Intro Garners Reaction From NFL World

The video, which spanned four minutes and 19 seconds, featured players from both teams talking about the big game and what it means to them. It also featured their families talking about their journeys to this point.

“Amazing intro! Reminds me of my dad! Bravo on the intro!,” one NFL fan said on X (formerly known as Twitter)

Additionally, Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” played in the background, giving it a near-movie feel. “This was incredible.,” another person said on X. “And so, the @49ers and @Chiefs face that final curtain,” CBS Sports said.

The 49ers finished the regular season as the top seed in the NFC with a 12-5 record. After their first-round bye, they defeated both the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions to earn their trip to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl. Both of their victories came in comeback fashion, including an NFC Championship-record 17-point comeback.

The Chiefs, on the other hand, had a more uphill battle. Entering the playoffs as the AFC’s third seed, they finished the regular season with an 11-6 record. In the playoffs, they defeated the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens to punch their ticket.

Super Bowl 58 is a re-match of Super Bowl 54 when the Chiefs defeated the 49ers 31-24. The win was the first in Patrick Mahomes career, as he also won Super Bowl MVP. Four years later, the Chiefs have made three more and won another. For the 49ers, this is their first trip back to the big game since.

The game kicked off at 6:30 p.m. ET with the 49ers receiving the opening kick. In addition to being broadcast on CBS, the game is also being streamed on Paramount+.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.





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