Washington does not play in the NFL’s Week 9. However, that seemed to only intensify the mountain of off-the-field distractions going on with the organization.
Here are the things that happened that did not involve emails, the NFL, Washington, and Congress. And then some things that did.
Sweat And Blood
Defensive End Montez Sweat broke his jaw in Washington’s Week 8 loss to Denver. He will be out at least a month. Ouch, on both accounts.
106.7 The Fan’s Grant Paulsen was first to report the news.
Sweat will have to alter his diet, and will not participate in any physical conduct for one month.
Way To Play
Landon Collins may not like playing linebacker, but it suits him just fine. Three games into the experiment, Collins is making more of an impact in games than he ever did at safety for Washington.
He was even the recipient of a Way To Play Award this week from the NFL.
Collins sniffed out, and then absolutely snuffed out, a screen pass from Teddy Bridgewater to Melvin Gordon in the Broncos game. The award recognizes a good play each week. According to NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent, one that represents, “Knees bent, pads down, heads up.”
Way to Play Landon.
Collins had eight tackles against Denver, including two for a loss. He also had a sack.
He continues to grow into a role that he doesn’t seem to want to fill.
The Thursday Deadline
Rep. Carolyn Maloney is a New York Democrat who is chairwoman of the House Oversight Committee.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi is an Illinois Democrat who is also the chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy.
Together, the two members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell back on October 21st. The letter requested that all documents and communication related to the probe into the Washington Football Team be made available. The deadline was this past Thursday afternoon.
Now they are asking the NFL to allow witnesses from the investigation of the Washington Football Team to be able to speak freely about their experiences after the league apparently submitted nothing further.
According to NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, “As we have discussed with the committee, we are in the process of identifying responsive documents while working through issues of privilege and anonymity promised to participants in the investigation,” McCarthy said.
Washington Urged To Lift NDAs
Rep. Carolyn Maloney said Friday she wanted full transparency from the league and the team.
“Congress has a responsibility to combat harassment and discrimination in the workplace. If the NFL shares our commitment to address these issues, it will be fully transparent about the findings of the internal review and will allow all individuals to speak freely without fear of retaliation,” Maloney said.
“While Commissioner Roger Goodell has told the press that victims and witnesses are free to take their story public, he should know many of them do not have that option. Dan Snyder, the owner of the Washington Football Team, has saddled them with gag orders, preventing them from coming forward due to fear of retaliation. If the NFL and the WFT are serious about addressing, among other things, sexual harassment within their organizations, they must allow these individuals to speak freely.”
The original investigation inexplicably concluded with no written report.
The team was fined $10 million, but not owner Daniel Snyder.