At the root of the Washington Redskins struggles over the past decade sits one man. He isn’t a person who can be fired or demoted, but he is likely to be given the blame for any mishaps in the franchise, of which there have been many.
Team owner Dan Snyder has found himself at the center of a lot of criticism over the past 10 or so years, and rightfully so. With poor hirings, hollow free agency moves, and a tendency to hold onto bad cards long after he should have folded them, Snyder’s ownership has left the Redskins as one of the worst teams in the NFL. He’s deserving of that criticism, but he’s also deserving of some praise that might come his way during the team’s rebuild and culture shift.
That praise is coming.
Ever since Snyder cut ties with Team President Bruce Allen last December, a shift in Washington has been noticeable. Ron Rivera was hired, and a team that has been out of touch with reality for years was now in the rare position of leading the charge of change. The most impressive aspect of this came early in the offseason when the coronavirus pandemic hit the sporting world. Snyder took notice, and acted quickly, according to The Athletic‘s Ben Standig.
Snyder’s public actions in response to the coronavirus also received attention. On March 12, Washington suspended travel for scouts and coaches and became the first team to halt all top 30 pre-draft meetings with prospects at Redskins Park. Snyder later opened the FedEx Field parking lots in Landover to the Maryland government so they could be used as a COVID-19 testing site.
The 115th Military Police Battalion honored the organization and team partners this month for their support in aiding and partnering with the Maryland Army National Guard.
“I want to thank the 115th Military Battalion of the Maryland Army National Guard for this generous and humbling recognition,” Snyder said via a team press release. “The soldiers at the FedEx Field location, along with all of our front-line workers, are the real heroes. Their courage and contributions to society during these trying times are an inspiration to us all as we continue to face this ongoing challenge.”
Also, the Redskins’ charitable foundation donated 250,000 meals to families in Prince George’s County, where FedEx Field is located.
There was also an unprecedented 2020 NFL Draft, which was done remotely for the first time. Though he may not have plugged any wires into monitors personally, many people say that Snyder was one of the main reasons that the Redskins draft went off without a hitch, according to Standig.
There’s still a long way to go before the Redskins can relive some of the glory days of old, but the change that has taken place in the organization over the past few months is encouraging, and it seems that we can thank Snyder for that.
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