Name: ‘Nothing but positive’: Former Washington GM Scot McCloughan defends Dan Snyder
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‘Nothing but positive’: Former Washington GM Scot McCloughan defends Dan Snyder

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Jul 18, 2020Former Washington Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan spent part of his Friday afternoon at a lake near his Colorado home with two things on his mind: How to lure Walleye toward his fishing pole and how to help defend his former boss, Dan Snyder.The former makes sense for a relaxing hobby even if one is challenged to imagine the noted not reviewing game tape. As for backing Snyder, for many familiar with his exit from Washington, that sounds like the ultimate fish tale.McCloughan’s two-plus year run as Washington’s general manager ended with a chaotic firing in March of 2017, and unseemly anonymous quotes from a member of the organization to local media as his dismissal became public.Yet McCloughan stopped focusing on the yellow pike briefly to pick up his cell phone, call a reporter and heap praise on a man receiving withering criticism including 15 team employees allege sexual and verbal abuse by former team employees.“I want to get something out there from my standpoint. That I had nothing but a positive experience with Dan Snyder. Nothing but positive,” McCloughan told The Athletic.The football lifer began his professional career with Green Bay in 1994 before a stint with Seattle’s front office. McCloughan spent five seasons with San Francisco, including two as general manager from 2008-09, before a second spin with Seattle, where he helped turn the into a Super Bowl champion.Snyder hired McCloughan ahead of the 2015 season. Washington finished 9-7 and won the NFC East title that season for the franchise’s fifth playoff appearance since Snyder purchased the team in 1999. The team went 8-7-1 the following season for Washington’s first back-to-back winning campaigns since 1996-97.“Dan was nothing but good to me and the people (within the organization),” said McCloughan, who credited Snyder with providing any needed resources during his time in Washington. “Yeah, he’s taking a bath right now. I’ve been around four different owners in my professional career. He’s the best. We’re talking Green Bay. They don’t have a single owner, but a committee. Of course, San Fran. The York family, the DeBartolo’s. Great, great people. The whole package. Paul Allen. Phenomenal in Seattle. Dan Snyder is right there. He was not a bad owner.”McCloughan, who runs his own scouting service with teams as clients, evaluates Snyder differently than others.“(Dan) cares about people. I’ve been in the NFL way too long and have seen owners that don’t, and I’ve been lucky enough to be in organizations that they do. And he’s no different than the ones that won Super Bowls in the last 10 years. No different. He does not wish ill will on anybody. Is he a tough guy about wanting to win games? Heck yeah, but people respect that, especially in the building. For (anyone) to think he was all about the Redskins no matter what and not about the people is wrong. He cared about people.”That’s not a universal opinion, especially this week following the Washington Post’s detailed story with allegations of harassment of multiple women inside the organization over an extended period, including during the time McCloughan as GM.“What’s going on with the organization, I should have been aware of it,” said McCloughan, who put the onus on himself and former team president Bruce Allen since “we were in the building every day. … I think it happens in every organization I’ve been in. It’s just pinpointing (Washington) because the investigation had certain texts from certain people.”McCloughan agreed that Snyder deserves blame for actions occurring within the organization, but with the owner not around team headquarters daily, “how much can he know,” the former executive wondered. “There are things that go on inside the building every single day. If you’re not there, you’re not aware of three-quarters of issues because the focus is on the team winning during the season. … I didn’t know about the harassment. I guarantee you if Dan knew or Bruce and I knew we would have fixed it right away.”Washington’s struggles on and off the field began long before McCloughan’s arrival.“I walked in with the perception, like everybody else – bad,” McCloughan said of Snyder’s reputation. McCloughan’s own reputation suffered after his time in San Francisco and Seattle because of issues with alcohol. Those personal failings also played a role in the end for him with Washington.“I walked away. I hated to walk away, but I had to,” McCloughan said. “But no doubt about it to this day. He was a really, really good owner.”Upon McCloughan’s firing, a team official trashed the GM on the way out by providing the Washington Post with anonymous quotes about the executive’s relapses due to alcohol. “This has been a disaster for 18 months,” the team official said. McCloughan later filed a grievance to receive roughly the $2.8 million remaining on his four-year contract. An NFL arbitrator ruled for the organization in 2018.Whether the owner knew of the anonymous quotes in advance of publication, they came from his building. Then the money component. This led to the obvious question: why defend Snyder?“I (know) the truth,” McCloughan said. “The fact that Dan never wavered as the owner. He was the person he was and the people that surrounded him; he listened to them. And I respect that. I don’t know who said what, but all I know is on Sundays it was everybody’s team.”The Washington Post report focused on five former members of the organization, including Alex Santos and Richard Mann II. . The front office duo worked under McCloughan.“They weren’t bad people,” McCloughan said broadly of the individuals he worked with at Washington. “They weren’t and I’ve been around bad people. … Dan, for sure, wasn’t. Bruce wasn’t. (Former lead counsel) Eric Schaffer wasn’t. And that’s the dead truth. I have no reason not to tell the truth. If I wanted to, I could have (ripped the organization). And, of course, I didn’t. And I wouldn’t.”What did happen according to 15 former female employees was a steady dose of harassment. Having read Thursday’s report, McCloughan said, “I’m disappointed that it happened. It should never happen in any profession whatsoever. Me being around football as long as I have been, I know that stuff goes on.“I believe if Dan knew about it, he would not have allowed it. All he wanted to do is win. Like I said, I’ve been around a lot of football teams and a lot of different ownerships. (Dan is) a positive for sure for the NFL and for Washington. The bottom line is winning.”Snyder has owned the team since 1999, having purchased his favorite childhood team for $800 million with proceeds from the sale of his marketing firm, Snyder Communications.“You know, he’s a businessman,” McCloughan said of Snyder. “He’s made money because he understands how culture is supposed to be. How environments and workforces are supposed to be.”Snyder issued a statement Friday stating the need for a review of the organization’s culture following the report.“The behavior described in yesterday’s Washington Post article has no place in our franchise or society. This story has strengthened my commitment to setting a new culture and standard for our team, a process that began with the hiring of Coach (Ron) Rivera earlier this year.”The organization hired an outside lawyer, Beth Wilkinson, for a “full, unbiased investigation,” of current and past practices.“Upon completion of her work, we will institute new policies and procedures and strengthen our human resources infrastructure to not only avoid these issues in the future but, most importantly, create a team culture that is respectful and inclusive of all,” Snyder said.(Top photo: John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Jul 18, 2020Former Washington Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan spent part of his Friday afternoon at a lake near his Colorado home with two things on his mind: How to lure Walleye toward his fishing pole and how to help defend his former boss, Dan Snyder.The former makes sense for a relaxing hobby even if one is challenged to imagine the noted not reviewing game tape. As for backing Snyder, for many familiar with his exit from Washington, that sounds like the ultimate fish tale.McCloughan’s two-plus year run as Washington’s general manager ended with a chaotic firing in March of...

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‘Nothing but positive’: Former Washington GM Scot McCloughan defends Dan Snyder

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