NFL’s Washington Football Team fined $10M for ‘unprofessional’ workplace

The National Football League (NFL) on Thursday concluded its investigation into the harassment allegations leveled against the Washington Football Team by fining the organization $10 million for an “unprofessional” workplace, multiple news outlets reported on Thursday.

In a statement, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that Washington-based lawyer Beth Wilkinson found in her investigation that for years the workplace environment in Washington was “both generally and particularly for women, was highly unprofessional” 

More from the league’s findings and its $10 million fine for the WFT: pic.twitter.com/lW7Kk31QuQ

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 1, 2021

“Bullying and intimidation frequently took place and many described the culture as one of fear, and numerous female employees reported having experienced sexual harassment and a general lack of respect in the workplace, Gooddell said in his statement. 

In a statement, Washington Football Team owner and co-CEO Dan Snyder said that he’s responsible for the actions that happened at the workplace, saying that he feels “great remorse for the people who had difficult, even traumatic, experiences while working here.” 

pic.twitter.com/BDVxK6Gz3Q

— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) July 1, 2021

“I appreciate the people who came forward and intend fully to implement all of the recommendations coming out of the investigation,” Snyder said.

TIME’s UP president and CEO Tina Tchen criticized the league’s announcement.

“Today’s update, which includes no details of the investigation’s findings, does not sufficiently address the problem with the ownership of the Washington Football Team, and offers only a monetary slap on the wrist which falls far short of the accountability that the employees of the Washington Football Team deserve and NFL fans expect,” Tchen said in a statement to The Hill.

“These actions do not provide an ounce of justice for the survivors who still live with the memories of these traumatic experiences, nor any assurances that the workplace culture of the Washington Football Team will change.” 

Wilkinson and her firm interviewed 150 people in the organization during the league’s investigation of sexual harassment claims made by previous employees and reporters covering the team in a 15-year span. 

ESPN reporter Adam Schefter shared that the team will face a $10 million fine from the league, adding that there will be no suspensions or the team losing draft picks as a result of the investigation. 

There are no suspensions for the WFT, no loss of draft picks, no charges. But there is a league-imposed $10 million fine for the WFT.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 1, 2021

The penalties come as the harshest handed to an NFL team since 2004, according to The New York Times. 

The team announced on Tuesday that Snyder’s wife, Tanya, will serve as its new co-CEO, removing himself from day-to-day operations of the organization.

The team has made previous moves in wake of the league investigation by dropping their previous moniker “Redskins” in 2020, hiring former NFL player Jason Wright as the league’s first Black team president in and also appointed Julie Donaldson as senior vice president of media and the first woman to be a part of a team’s radio broadcast.

Snyder, 56, will still attend games and work on long-term projects including finding a new stadium and a new team moniker, the Times noted.

Updated: July 3 at 12:53 p.m.