New twist casts another stain on Commanders owner Dan Snyder

The latest twist in the ongoing saga surrounding Dan Snyder cast another dark stain on the Washington Commanders owner. 

If these are Dan Snyder‘s final few weeks as an NFL owner, he’s not going quietly. Something that many anticipated following his turbulent run with the Washington Commanders in recent years.

It’s been another dramatic week of storylines – and it’s only Tuesday.

First, there was a story that insinuated that Snyder had blocked Jeff Bezos from submitting a legitimate offer for the Commanders, which stems from the Washington Post scandal article that led the billionaire to this point.

Bezos, of course, owns the media outlet. So it’s not hard to see why Snyder holds a grudge – even if one is warranted given the concerning accusations that emerged from current and former employees.

Then, another report from the same publication indicated that Snyder and his legal representatives have demanded to “indemnify him against future legal liability and costs” if he goes through with any sale. And that’s without factoring his supposed asking price of $7 billion into the equation.

More serious allegations surround Commanders owner Dan Snyder

The latest – and perhaps most concerning story – featuring Snyder in recent days stemmed from an ESPN exclusive. Senior Writer Don Van Natta Jr. attained documents that allege a $55 million loan had been secured without board approval.

This is under investigation by federal prosecutors in Virginia and has been allegedly corroborated by three minority owners in Washington at the time. Here’s what a source with knowledge of the situation told Van Natta and ESPN.

"“Three billionaires — not a few whistleblowers — alleged to the NFL arbitrator that their partner had possibly committed bank fraud. This is jail time type of fraud. The NFL owes them as much of a fair shake as it owes Snyder. And the league had no interest in finding out what happened. They buried it and didn’t investigate it and covered it up.”"

To say these allegations are deeply concerning would be a massive understatement. And make no mistake, it’s a big deal and one that could come with severe ramifications for Snyder and the league.

The NFL came out swinging as expected after the story went live early on Tuesday. A statement from the league via Ben Standig of The Athletic indicated their belief that everything was above board despite claims to the contrary.

This is an absolute mess whichever way one looks at it. There is no smoke without fire in situations like this more often than not, so much will depend on whether the NFL and Snyder have the necessary documentation to prove themselves innocent of such allegations.

For fans, they just want Snyder gone. There’s been nothing but one controversial thing after another surrounding the owner and not much to cheer on the field, so a fresh start would be more than welcome at this juncture.

Snyder is almost hell-bent on making things as difficult as humanly possible. But the decision might be taken out of his hands if other owners unanimously vote for his removal at their upcoming meetings.

A situation that looks more likely with every passing day.

How many more skeletons are going to emerge before Snyder relinquishes power? It’s embarrassing for every Commanders fan and something that takes away attention from encouraging aspects of the franchise such as Eric Bieniemy’s arrival and placing the tag on defensive tackle Daron Payne.

Mercifully, Snyder’s reign of terror could be in its final stages. When the time comes, Washington’s long-suffering fanbase will rejoice.