If the sale of the Commanders were a gif, it would be Michael Scott closing the door on Robert Dunder. The NFL would be Michael Scott, and Daniel Snyder would be Robert Dunder.
As explained by the Washington Post, the NFL is exploring the possibility of providing “conditional approval” to the $6.05 billion bid made by Josh Harris to purchase the team. The Post calls this approach “atypical.”
The NFL is reportedly “engaged in discussions” with Snyder’s representatives regarding the move. The process is all “fluid” and it “depends largely on the progress of the discussions with Snyder’s representatives.”
The message seems to be obvious. The NFL wants Snyder to sell. The NFL wants to give the thumb’s up to Harris. The NFL wants Snyder to eventually go through with it.
Bottom line? The NFL wants Snyder to go away.
The fact that the cart is sneaking before the horse on this one clearly indicates that the hard part isn’t getting 24 or more owners to say “yes” to Harris but getting one specific owner to say, “Fine, I’ll do it.”
Through everything that has happened over the past several months, the one thing that has yet to happen is that Snyder has yet to say in an unconditional and unequivocal voice that he will tell. Until he does, and until he goes through with it, this thing isn’t over.
