The Washington Commanders will pay the District of Columbia $1 million to resolve a 2022 lawsuit that alleged the NFL franchise misled its fans regarding the team’s toxic and abusive workplace culture in order to protect the its brand.
The lawsuit initially began in fall 2021 with an investigation by predecessor Karl Racine, who based it on consumer protection law, arguing the team mislead residents. Dan Snyder owned the football team at the time.
D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb announced the settlement Monday, praising the new owners for rectifying internal issues, including accusations of rampant sexual assault and harassment.
“The Commanders’ current owners have commendably opened a new chapter in the team’s history, committing to ensure all employees are protected from abuse and treated with dignity,” Schwalb said. “I want to thank the victims for coming forward to tell their stories — without their bravery, none of this would have come to light.”
A group led by Josh Harris purchased the Commanders in 2023 from Snyder, who had faced pressure to sell the team after a series of scandals and decades of perceivable mediocrity on the field.
Since then, new ownership has strengthened the team’s human resources department and implemented an anti-harassment policy and an investigation protocol for complaints of misconduct, Schwalb’s office said in a news release.
Under the agreement, the team will maintain those reforms, along with paying $1 million to D.C.
The NFL separately fined Snyder $60 million in 2023 after its own investigation concluded that he personally engaged in multiple forms of misconduct, including sexual harassment.
D.C.’s suit accused Snyder and the team of misleading the public about what they knew regarding the hostile work environment and Snyder’s role in creating it.
The Commanders deny all the allegations in the complaint and are not admitting wrongdoing by reaching a resolution, according to the terms of the settlement.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been changed to reflect that the current Commanders ownership settled the lawsuit with D.C.’s attorney general’s office.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.