Commanders RB J.D. McKissic To Miss Rest Of Season
J.D. McKissic‘s season has come to an end. The Commanders are placing the running back on injured reserve with a neck injury, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The injury is expected to sideline the veteran for the rest of the 2022 season.
McKissic has missed Washington’s past two games with the neck issue. While it didn’t initially sound like the injury would be a season-ender, Rapoport notes that the injury will require a few months of rehab. On the bright side, it sounds like McKissic should be good to go for the 2023 campaign.
The running back found a home in Washington over the past two-plus seasons. 2020 was a career year for McKissic, as the pass-catching back finished with 954 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. Thanks in part to injuries, he didn’t get nearly as many touches in 2021, but he still managed to finish his second season in Washington with 609 yards from scrimmage and four scores.
This past offseason, the free agent RB committed to a two-year, $7MM contract with the Bills before reneging on the deal and re-signing with the Commanders. With the RB room getting a bit more crowded, McKissic had a smaller role in his eight contests, compiling 268 yards from scrimmage on 49 touches.
Brian Robinson has turned into Washington’s preferred option on the ground, with the rookie collecting a career-high 26 carries in Week 10. As a result, Antonio Gibson has inherited McKissic’s pass-catching gig and has flourished. Gibson is already zeroing in on career-highs in receiving stats, as the 24-year-old has hauled in 34 catches in 10 games.
Commanders Won’t Activate Chase Young For Week 10; Season Availability In Doubt?
The Commanders have been without Chase Young for exactly one calendar year, and his return will not take place tonight. Washington is not activating the edge rusher from the PUP list ahead of their game against the Eagles, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). 
The Commanders opened Young’s three-week return window at the beginning of the month, as he returned to practice. That fell in line with their stated plan for the 2020 second overall pick, but the team remained cautious with his midweek workload. As a result, he was not activated ahead of last week’s contest.
That pointed to a return for tonight’s primetime matchup, but the Ohio State product will remain sidelined for at least one more week as he continues to recover from an ACL tear. That injury ended his sophomore campaign, one which included just 1.5 sacks through nine game – a notable drop from the 7.5 he posted the year prior en route to winning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. A midseason return has been expected since August.
More worrying still, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports (via Twitter) that it is “not considered a slam dunk” Young will be activated by next week. If the Nov. 23 deadline passes without the team doing so, Young will not be eligible to return for the remainder of the season. That would mark a major blow to the team’s pass rush, of course, though they have managed to rank mid-pack so far with 23 sacks this season.
For Young individually, a full missed season would likely have financial ramifications. This coming offseason marks the first point at which he is eligible for an extension, one which appeared to be on track for one of the league’s richest after his first season in the league. Since then, however, the drop in production and significant time missed due to injury could be cause for hesitation on the team’s part to make a long-term commitment before he re-takes the field.
For at least one more week, Montez Sweat will be paired with James Smith-Williams on the edge as Washington looks to upset Philadelphia. Young’s participation in practice though the week will become increasingly worth watching as his activation deadline nears.
D.C. Attorney General Sues Dan Snyder, Commanders, NFL
Still amid multiple investigations, the Commanders are now being sued. The office of D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine announced Thursday it has filed a lawsuit against Dan Snyder, the Commanders, the NFL and Roger Goodell (Twitter link).
This is a consumer protection lawsuit, according to Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post, accusing Snyder and his franchise of, in pursuit of revenue, “colluding to deceive and mislead customers” about the investigation into the team’s workplace culture.
Snyder and his franchise remain the subject of three investigations — from the House Oversight Committee, the NFL and the office of Virginia’s attorney general. Racine’s lawsuit will also seek to have the findings of the NFL’s previous investigation — a Beth Wilkinson-run probe that, at the league’s request, did not produce a written report — public, according to the Washington Post.
“Faced with public outrage over detailed and widespread allegations of sexual misconduct and a persistently hostile work environment at the Team, Defendants made a series of public statements to convince District consumers that this dysfunctional and misogynistic conduct was limited and that they were fully cooperating with an independent investigation,” the lawsuit reads. “These statements were false and calculated to mislead consumers so they would continue to support the Team financially without thinking that they were supporting such misconduct.”
Racine’s term in office ends Jan. 2, but he believes the case will move forward. His office plans to issue subpoenas, per Jhabvala (Twitter links). Subpoenas emerged in the Oversight Committee’s investigation, but Snyder evaded testimony for weeks. Eventually, the embattled owner did testify but did so remotely and without being under oath. Those circumstances allowed Snyder to bypass certain questions during that hearing. Goodell also testified before the Oversight Committee this summer, doing so before Snyder.
Repeated allegations of toxic workplace culture and financial impropriety led to this latest batch of trouble for Snyder. He and other team executives have been accused of withholding ticket revenue from opposing teams and keeping refundable deposits from fans. The Committee also accused Snyder’s franchise of dishonesty with the NFL regarding sharable revenue. A former employee, testifying to the Committee, indicated Washington had two separate books — one with the full figures and another with underreported ticket revenue. Regarding ticket revenue, Grant Paulson of 106.7 The Fan tweets the team has sent a letter to various season-ticket holders — some from the not-so-recent past — indicating the team owes a balance to certain fans.
This endless spree of trouble has led to the threat of owners voting to remove Snyder from his 23-year ownership post, which would be an NFL first. It is uncertain if there are 24 owners willing to vote Snyder out, but some likely would. Jim Irsay indicated 24 removal votes could be there, with the Colts owner speaking out after an ESPN report indicated Snyder had conducted shadow investigations of select other owners. Snyder later denied that charge.
The prospect of owners assembling votes against Snyder hovered over the Commanders owner for much of 2022. However, Snyder has since begun the process of exploring a Commanders sale. After defiantly indicating he would never sell the team, Snyder is believed to be seeking a $7 billion sum for the franchise. That would surpass the Broncos’ 4.65 billion haul fetched this summer. The Broncos’ price more than doubled the previous NFL record. Several prospective buyers have emerged.
Regardless of a sale, Snyder remains in hot water. No timelines exist regarding the completion of the three investigations. As of now, the owner is believed to be operating without restrictions in his ownership role. Wilkinson’s investigation previously led to a de facto suspension, but that is believed to be over.
Latest On Dan Synder’s Potential Sale Of Commanders
New information continues to develop concerning the possible sale of the Commanders franchise from current owner Dan Snyder. Our most recent report included an estimated value of $5.6BB with a potential sales price of up to $7BB. We also pointed out that it was still uncertain whether Snyder was determined to sell all of his stake in the team or whether he still desired to remain a part-owner of the Commanders. 
Mike Florio of NBC Sports was able to provide an update to these points this past weekend, reporting that Snyder is determined to sell “all of it — not some of it,” contradicting an earlier report where he quoted Cowboys owner Jerry Jones‘ opinion that Snyder was simply “testing the waters” in an attempt to sell a minority interest in the team. This also makes a moot point of fellow NBC Sports contributor Peter King, who posed that if anyone were to buy a minority stake, it would have to include a clear path to eventually buying Snyder all the way out “in a defined number of years.” The goal is for the full sale of the team to occur by March of 2023.
The report also mentions that Snyder hopes to get the full $7BB amount for the franchise. Florio points out that achieving that $7BB amount would result in a profit of $6.25BB from his original purchase price of $750MM. Florio also points out that the odds of reaching that sales price become more and more likely as lots of interested buyers create the potential for a bidding war. One of the potential bids we had mentioned previously was a group that was rumored to be forming around Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and music mogul Shawn Carter, also known as rapper Jay-Z. Since that rumor began, a number of others have expressed interest in joining the bid. Actor Matthew McConaughey was reported to be exploring the possibility of joining Bezos and Carter or forming his own investment group to bid, according to Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. Nets star forward Kevin Durant is also reportedly hopeful to join the franchise’s ownership group, according to ESPN’s Nick Friedell.
McConaughey and Durant are both big fans of the Commanders and have some recent experience in franchise ownership. McConaughey is a co-owner of the Major League Soccer’s recent expansion team in Austin. Durant owns a 5% stake in the MLS’s Philadelphia club as well as a minority stake in the National Women’s Soccer League’s Gotham FC. Most recently, Durant became a co-owner last month of a pickleball team. Neither McConaughey nor Durant are in the financial position to lead a bid for the Commanders and would have to rely on an investment group to enter a bid.
Red Sox owner John Henry has also been seen as a possible bidder, according to Josh Kosman of the New York Post, after his recent efforts to sell the Liverpool Football Club. The UK-based soccer team is set to sell for around $2-3BB, a sum that could contribute to the eventual bidding war for the Commanders.
One of the finalists in the sale of the Broncos, mortgage company executive Mat Ishbia also reportedly plans to consider contending with a bid for Washington, according to Maske and Jhabvala. Ishbia issued a statement directly to The Washington Post claiming that he is “interested in exploring this opportunity further.”
The constant emergence of new names supports the prediction that a bidding war could easily drive the team’s price up to the $7BB price tag that Snyder covets. King, from above, suggested that, as “Snyder detests The Washington Post,” he would never want to sell to its owner, Bezos. Perhaps the sheer volume of other investors in the potential investment group will change his mind. If not, it doesn’t sound like Snyder will be lacking for interested buyers.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/5/22
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: P Nolan Cooney, DL Manny Jones
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: S Marquise Blair, RB Spencer Brown
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed to active roster: DT Domenique Davis
- Promoted: CB Allan George, WR Trenton Irwin
- Placed on IR: CB Chidobe Awuzie (story)
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: WR Stanley Berryhill
- Promoted: WR Brandon Zylstra, TE Shane Zylstra
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: RB Phillip Lindsay, RB Jordan Wilkins
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: K Cameron Dicker, WR Keelan Doss, CB Kemon Hall
- Placed on IR: TE Donald Parham Jr.
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed to active roster: OL Chandler Brewer
- Promoted: TE Jared Pinkney, RB Ronnie Rivers
- Activated from IR: LB Travin Howard
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: OT Kion Smith
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: WR Dan Chisena, TE Nick Muse
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: TE Kenny Yeboah
- Promoted: T Conor McDermott
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: LB Josh Onujiogu
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: QB Logan Woodside, DT Larrell Murchison
Washington Commanders
- Promoted: FB Alex Armah, LB Nathan Gerry
Byron Allen, Jeff Bezos Prepare Bids For Commanders
With news spreading that Commanders owner Dan Snyder is considering a potential sale of the team, speculation about who could possibly purchase the franchise has run rampant. Obvious names of some of the world and country’s richest people have surfaced, such as Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Wizards and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis, and Carlyle Group co-founder David Rubenstein. Former comedian and head of Entertainment Studios Byron Allen and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos were named by a source with knowledge of the situation as individuals who have expressed interest in bidding for the team, according to Mark Maske, Nicki Jhabvala, and Liz Clarke of The Washington Post. 
Allen was one of the bidders for the Broncos and strives to become the NFL’s first Black principal team owner. He was courted quite a bit by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Patriots owner Robert Kraft during the Broncos’ sale in a concerted effort to help make that a reality. The league has a special interest in helping Allen after the owners “approved a resolution in March endorsing diversity in franchise ownership.”
What makes this difficult to accomplish for Allen is the league guideline that essentially requires a purchaser to have 30% of the final sales price liquid and available at the time of the purchase. With the Broncos selling at $4.65BB, the Commanders are largely expected to surpass $5BB. Forbes “estimated in August that the Commanders are worth $5.6BB,” and Jack Evans, a former D.C. council member, estimated that the team could sell for as much as $7BB. This requires the available amount to be upwards of $1.50-2.10BB.
An outrageous down payment like that makes it extremely difficult for someone like Allen to make the purchase alone, and Allen has made it clear that he would not like to join any groups as a minority investor. It sounds like, in order to make that happen, the league would have to revise the rules or make an exception to them, which could potentially happen if the league truly wants to encourage diversity in franchise ownership. It’s not likely that this will take precedence over bid price, though.
Bezos, on the other hand, being the fourth-richest person in the world, is in a much better position to cover the required initial amount with an estimated net worth of $113.2BB. The source who named Bezos claims that the Amazon executive might be interested in a group bid including music mogul Shawn Carter, better known as Jay-Z.
Bezos has ties to both D.C. and the NFL in his business experience. He owns The Washington Post and Amazon carries the NFL’s current “Thursday Night Football” package. Bezos has spent plenty of time with Goodell, attending a game with him earlier this year, and Kraft has advocated for Bezos to be involved in Seattle, where the Seahawks may soon find themselves for sale by the trust of late owner Paul Allen.
Carter also has ties to the NFL through the partnership his Roc Nation agency has with the NFL that makes it a co-producer of the Super Bowl halftime show. He also has experience with franchise ownership as a former part-owner of the Nets. The biggest strike against Bezos and Carter is that it is presumed that the NFL would prefer an individual buyer over a group.
It was made known, though, that Carter would not have interest in pursuing a minority stake in the franchise if Snyder remains the majority owner, which brings up an interesting point: Snyder has not divulged whether he is considering a full or partial sale of the team. In the recent past, Snyder attempted “to exercise his right of first refusal” to match offers made to former limited partners, effectively blocking the sale of partial ownership shares. The buyers who were blocked by Snyder, Clearlake Capital co-founders Behdad Eghbali and Jose E. Feliciano, reportedly went on to bid on the Broncos and could be considered candidates to buy the Commanders once again.
There is plenty that still needs to unfold before we see the conclusion of this story. Wrinkles need to be ironed out about how much of the franchise is for sale. Real bids need to be placed. The league will need to decide how serious it is about promoting diversity in ownership as well as how it feels about group ownership. We’ll likely see lots of similarities to the Broncos’ sale, and this sale could lay the groundwork for an eventual sale of the Seahawks. Plenty remains to be seen in the months to come.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/3/22
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Isaiah Coulter
- Released: S Jared Mayden
Denver Broncos
- Signed: RB Devine Ozigbo
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: RB Patrick Taylor
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: S Ugo Amadi
- Released: WR Dazz Newsome
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Malik Turner
- Placed on injured list: DE Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: K Cameron Dicker
- Placed on injured list: K Taylor Bertolet
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Bryce Thompson
Washington Commanders
- Signed: LB Nathan Gerry
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/3/22
Today’s minor moves:
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: TE Teagan Quitoriano, CB Tavierre Thomas
New Orleans Saints
- Designated for return: CB P.J. Williams
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: DT Marvin Wilson
Washington Commanders
- Promoted: LB De’Jon Harris
Latest On Commanders Owner Dan Snyder
A Commanders statement revealed Dan Snyder is considering selling all or part of his franchise. In the wake of that surprising announcement, word came down the embattled owner is the subject of yet another investigation.
The U.S. attorney’s office in Virginia’s Eastern District opened a criminal investigation into alleged financial improprieties perpetrated by the Commanders under Snyder, Don Van Natta of ESPN.com reports. An April letter from the House Oversight Committee to the Federal Trade Commission, along with several attorneys general, alleging “deceptive business practices” led to this latest probe. This Virginia investigation joins those being conducted by the Oversight Committee and the NFL as ongoing inquiries into Snyder and his franchise.
This matter also falls under the umbrella of the latest NFL investigation. While Mary Jo White’s investigation is covering allegations of sexual misconduct in the Washington organization and a 2009 alleged Snyder sexual assault, the financial component is also folded into this. No timetable exists for White’s probe. It is the second NFL investigation into Snyder in two years. The first led to Snyder being fined $10MM and being removed from day-to-day responsibilities with his team. Snyder, 57, is believed to no longer be under any restrictions.
The Oversight Committee’s letter indicated it found deceptive business dealings over a 10-plus-year period. The franchise’s owner since 1999, Snyder and other team executives have been accused of withholding ticket revenue from opposing teams and keeping refundable deposits from fans. The Committee also accused Snyder’s franchise of dishonesty with the NFL regarding sharable revenue. A former employee, testifying to the Committee, indicated Washington had two separate books — one with the full figures and another with underreported ticket revenue, according to Van Natta.
“We are confident that, after these agencies have had a chance to review the documents and complete their work, they will come to the same conclusion as the team’s internal review — that these allegations are simply untrue,” attorney John Brownlee, who represents the Commanders, said in a statement to ESPN.
Dan and Tanya Snyder hired Bank of America Securities to “consider potential transactions,” regarding a full or partial sale of the team. At least four interested buyers have reached out, with the Broncos’ $4.65 billion price under threat to be surpassed — if the Snyders go through with a sale. Wednesday’s Commanders announcement regarding a potential sale comes less than a month after they indicated no sale would ever be considered. Investigations are mounting, however, and other NFL owners have grown concerned.
Reports of anonymous NFL owners being dissatisfied with Snyder emerged earlier this year, and Colts owner Jim Irsay voiced this frustration last month. Irsay indicated there might be 24 votes on the table to oust Snyder, which would be a first for an NFL owner in the league’s 102-year history. Irsay doubled down on those comments recently.
“I don’t not feel it’s in the best interests of the shield and the NFL,” Irsay said of Snyder’s Commanders ownership (via Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer; video link). “This is not how we should be represented, and it’s regrettable that we have to be in this position. I do believe that the concerns I have will merit a serious discussion among all the owners. I don’t want to see this swept under the rug again.”
The NFL is believed to have reversed course on a plan for a written report in its previous investigation, leading to widespread scrutiny. An ESPN report subsequently accused Snyder of conducting shadow investigations of select other owners, including Jerry Jones, who said recently he still supports his fellow NFC East owner. Snyder sent a letter to other owners insisting he had never hired firms to investigate them. Irsay and Snyder, however, have not been in touch since the former’s bombshell comments, John Keim of ESPN.com notes. With Irsay indicating he will not stand down on this matter any longer, the heat on Snyder should not be expected to cool down anytime soon.
Dan Snyder Considering Commanders Sale?
Although a statement from Dan Snyder insisted he would never sell his franchise, he and wife Tanya have hired Bank of America Securities to “consider potential transactions,” the Commanders announced Wednesday (Twitter link). Addressing whether this would regard a partial or full sale by the Snyders, a Commanders spokesperson said (via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, on Twitter), “We are exploring all options.”
“Dan and Tanya Snyder and the Washington Commanders announced today that they have hired BofA Securities to consider potential transactions,” the statement reads. “The Snyders remain committed to the team, all of its employees and its countless fans to putting the best product on the field and continuing the work to set the gold standard for workplaces in the NFL.”
Snyder, who has owned the Washington franchise since 1999, has been under several investigations in recent years. A House Oversight Committee probe and another NFL inquiry into his franchise’s alleged workplace misconduct and financial improprieties represent the latest scandals engulfing the embattled owner and his team.
Snyder has received at least four calls from interested buyers, according to Forbes (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio). The Broncos set a new market recently, by shattering the American sports record with a $465 billion price. Snyder purchased the Washington franchise for $750MM 23 years ago.
It is not known if the Snyders will follow through with a sale, but this development comes shortly after one of Dan Snyder’s peers — Colts owner Jim Irsay — went public about 24 votes potentially being there to remove Snyder as Commanders owner. Dan soon sent a letter to the NFL’s other owners ensuring them he has not hired firms to investigate them — an explosive charge levied against the Washington owner last month — and this came shortly after a statement from the Snyders which confirmed no sale would ever be considered. Amid steady turmoil, it now appears the Snyders are considering it.
No vote has ever passed to remove an NFL owner from his or her post, but scandals have led owners to sell. This happened most recently with the Panthers, who saw Jerry Richardson sell his franchise to David Tepper amid workplace misconduct allegations in 2018. As Dan Snyder goes through his latest batch of investigations, Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver — recently suspended after a lengthy investigation — announced his intention to sell both his NBA and WNBA (Phoenix Mercury) franchises.
While Washington had tumbled off its perch as a Super Bowl contender during the mid-1990s, the franchise’s reputation has taken steady hits since Snyder’s 1999 acquisition. The team, which made five Super Bowl appearances from 1972-1991, has not made consecutive playoff berths under Snyder. And countless stories of misconduct, producing the investigations, have followed. Routine calls for Snyder to sell have emanated from FedEx Field for years.
An NFL investigation that wrapped in 2021 led to Dan Snyder being fined $10MM and a de facto suspension, which left Tanya Snyder in charge of the franchise’s day-to-day responsibilities. Dan denied he was ever suspended, and a recent statement insisted he was free to resume his regular duties with the team. The NFL’s latest investigation is slated to produce a written report — after the previous probe did not — while “further action” is on tap once the Oversight Committee’s investigation concludes. No timetable exists regarding the NFL’s latest probe, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com, minimizing the notion this sale buzz was connected to Mary Jo White’s report dropping soon (Twitter link).
Snyder once said he would never change the name of his team, which dropped the Redskins moniker after years of outside pressure. After insisting he would not sell, will he change his mind on this front as well?