Commanders owner Snyder testifies virtually to Congress
Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder testified before a congressional committee investigating the NFL team's history of workplace misconduct Thursday, speaking for hours in a deposition conducted virtually rather than a public hearing.
A spokesperson for the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform confirmed Snyder began giving his deposition around 8 a.m. EDT Thursday. It was still going more than eight hours later.
The spokesperson said in a statement on behalf of the committee: “Snyder has committed to providing full and complete testimony, and to answer the Committee's questions about his knowledge of and contributions to the Commanders' toxic work environment, as well as his efforts to interfere with the NFL's internal investigation, without hiding behind nondisclosure or other confidentiality agreements.”
Snyder, who is in Israel, agreed to testify voluntarily after committee members worked out some issues with his legal team on the terms of his deposition. The committee had previously agreed to have Snyder testify under the terms of a subpoena it had initially issued.
The committee has the discretion to decide what, if any, information it releases from Snyder's deposition. The hearing was not recorded, though a transcript is expected to be produced.
Snyder testified a month after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell appeared before the committee via Zoom to discuss Washington's workplace culture and the league's investigation into it. Snyder was invited to testify at the same hearing and, through a lawyer, declined.
The committee launched this investigation last year after the league fined Washington $10 million following its review of workplace misconduct but did not release a written report of attorney Beth Wilkinson's findings.
Snyder's testimony came on the second day of practice of Washington's training camp in preparation for the 2022 season, which begins in September. While players and coaches are trying to focus on football, the congressional investigation was just one of a few offfield story lines around the team that made headlines in recent months, including an assistant's comments about the Jan. 6 insurrection and a deal for a new stadium falling through.
CHIEFS SIGNING DUNLAP TO ONE-YEAR CONTRACT >> The Kansas City Chiefs are signing defensive end Carlos Dunlap to a one-year, $8 million deal, giving them an experienced pass rusher opposite Frank Clark and providing first-round pick George Karlaftis with another veteran presence.
“I don't know if there's pen to paper. I know I talked to that particular player yesterday,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said after the second full-squad workout of training camp at Missouri Western State University. “It was a good chat. I'm always happy to add big, long guys with experience in the league.”
The 33-year-old Dunlap was released in March by the Seahawks, who acquired him in a trade with Cincinnati in 2020 and had signed him to a two-year deal. Dunlap rotated with other defensive ends in Seattle, much like he's expected to do with the Chiefs, and had 8 ½ sacks along with eight tackles for loss while playing 38% of snaps last season.
BUCS' JENSEN CARTED OFF WITH KNEE INJURY >> Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen injured his left knee and was carted off the field near the end of Tampa Bays practice.
Neither coach Todd Bowles nor GM Jason Licht would speculate on the severity of the injury, which occurred with players wearing shorts, shirts and helmets during a non-contact twominute drill on the second day of training camp workouts.
Licht said it could be a few days before the Buccaneers learn how long Jensen might be sidelined.
Robert Hainsey replaced Jensen for the remainder of the drill. Another backup offensive lineman, Nick Leverett, will also take some snaps while the starter is out. COWBOYS SIGN TURPIN FOUR YEARS AFTER ASSAULT CASE >> The Dallas Cowboys signed receiver and kick returner KaVontae Turpin, adding the former TCU player who was kicked off the team in 2018 before pleading guilty to assaulting his girlfriend.
Turpin was MVP of the USFL with the New Jersey Generals this spring after that league completed its first regular season since 1985. The 25-year-old led the league in receiving yards and had the only kick return for a touchdown.
Turpin was one of the best kick returners in the nation while at TCU. He returned a punt for a touchdown in each of his four seasons. Turpin averaged 28 yards on 71 kickoff returns with two touchdowns during his career.
While playing for the Generals, Turpin led the USFL with 540 receiving yards in 10 games, with a league-best 316 of those yards coming after the catch.
Turpin played seven games for the Horned Frogs in 2018 before he was arrested after witnesses told police they saw Turpin drag his girlfriend across a parking lot as she resisted and screamed for them to call 911.
After initially being suspended, Turpin was kicked off the team a few days later when a previous assault charge against him emerged in New Mexico. He was sentenced to deferred adjudication probation and ordered to attend an abuse intervention program.
SEATTLE'S METCALF CATCHING HUGE CONTRACT >> The Seahawks are expected to sign wide receiver DK Metcalf to a three-year contract extension worth up to a reported $72 million ($58 million guaranteed), according to source.
The deal will keep him under contract with Seattle through the 2025 season.
In three season, Metcalf has 216 recptions for 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns. He set a Seahawks record with 1,303 yards in 2020.