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When the Washington Commanders are officially sold from Daniel Snyder to Josh Harris, it will boost the franchise’s business. Snyder, who has owned the franchise for 24 years, agreed in principle to sell the team to Josh Harris in May. NFL owners are expected to approve Snyder’s sale to Harris on July 20.
Under Snyder’s ownership, Washington went from being one of the NFL’s flagship franchises with a rabid fan base to a laughingstock on and off the field.
On the field, the Commanders have enjoyed occasional success, but nothing compared to the rest of their NFC East rivals. Since 1999, the Eagles have been to three Super Bowls — winning one — while the Giants have won two Super Bowls. Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys have made the playoffs 10 times over that span.
Make no mistake, fans of those teams would prefer Snyder own the Commanders forever.
Jon Machota covers the Cowboys The Athletic and was a guest on “BMitch and Finlay” of 106.7 The Fan Friday. Machota said the Commanders’ sale is bad for the rest of the NFC East.
“I don’t know if new ownership will make the Commanders instantaneously one of the Top 10 teams in the NFL again, but getting away from what they’ve been has to be a huge positive,” Machota said via Lou DiPietro of Audacy. “I’ve done a ton of interviews, and when people want to talk about that sale, I tell them that this is bad for the Cowboys. If you’re a Cowboys fan you want Dan Snyder to own the Commanders forever.”
More from Machota:
“DC is a phenomenal sports fan base, but there have been so many games over the last decade where no one is there, even against a big rival; the last thing you want is the Commanders getting back in this thing, and all of a sudden, it’s the clear best division in football. You want them to stay down!”
Machota is right. Washington isn’t going to turn into the Chiefs overnight. However, going from Snyder to Harris, an experienced professional sports owner, is a massive upgrade. Harris has spared no expense to hire the right general managers and coaches for his other franchises. One thing the Commanders always lacked under Snyder was a true NFL hierarchy. Never did Snyder hire a GM and let him hire the head coach.
Washington has built a solid roster in recent years. However, one thing holding the franchise back is the quarterback position. The Commanders will give Sam Howell every chance to prove he’s the future in 2023.