The NFL’s Washington franchise turned a blind eye to and even abetted sexual harassment and verbal abuse of female front-office employees, several claimed Thursday.
During an online House Oversight and Reform Committee forum about sexual harassment and verbal abuse within the football team, Tiffani Johnston, a former cheerleader and marketing manager, alleged team owner Daniel Snyder harassed her at a team dinner, putting his hand on her thigh and pressing her toward his limousine. Five other female employees also spoke of their work experiences with the team in similar terms.
Snyder and team officials have not replied to media requests for comment.
The sexual harassment accusations came two days after the team received a wave of publicity for another reason. The team had announced in 2020 that it would shed its “Redskins” name and logo, which some called a racial slur and offensive to Native Americans. It adopted the name the Washington Football Team while considering a new name. On Tuesday, the team said it will be named the Washington Commanders.
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Meanwhile, the NFL conducted an independent investigation into the team’s workplace culture and fined the organization $10 million last year. But a written report was never made public.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney, chairwoman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, noted the name change in her opening remarks.
“With due respect, it’s going to take more than a name change to fix that broken culture,” the New York Democrat said.
Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky praised the “bravery” of those testifying. But he argued that the committee did not have the jurisdiction to consider workplace problems at private organizations and should focus on “holding the Biden administration accountable.”
Maloney countered that the committee was considering legislation to rein in the use of nondisclosure agreements.
Melanie Coburn, a former director of marketing, marketing coordinator, and cheerleader for the team, likened its culture to that of “a frat party run by a billionaire who knew no boundaries.”
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The witnesses detailed how “women were objects” of harassment and assaults while employed at the team and the team’s failure to address those incidents.
