It’s 5 o’clock somewhere…
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In reporting on the allegations of improper sexual behavior against Washington’s kicker, Brandon McManus, which are said to have occurred when he was with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Pro Football Rumors published the following:
The Jaguars’ statement, provided by Fortier, and the Commanders’ statement, provided by Nicki Jhabvala also of the Post, both acknowledged the allegations and their severity while claiming to be looking into the matter. The Commanders noted that they “take allegations of this nature very seriously,” and the Jaguars emphasized that they “insist on an organization built by people who represent (their) community and game with the highest character and class.” While both statements may reflect the directions each organization is attempting to move in, they ring a bit hollow as both franchises have been subject to several less than ideal workplace issues in recent years.
That final sentence, which I have bolded for emphasis, made me wonder about the perception of the Washington franchise. As Washington fans, I think that most of us have drawn a line between what happened before Josh Harris bought the team and what has happened since. Even so, there is a general understanding that, due to the timing of the sale, there has been carryover from one ownership era to the next. For example, after taking over the team in July, Harris didn’t make any changes to to the coaching staff for 2023. Also, initial moves with respect to the front office and roster were measured while the calendar still read 2024, with the hiring of Eugene Shen and the trading of Montez Sweat and Chase Young being the headline events.
So, in many important ways, the line between the last owner and the current owner is a bit blurry. Few people, for instance, lay the blame for Washington’s atrocious 4-13 record at the feet of Josh Harris despite it having happened on his watch.
Even after big changes were implemented in January, there has been a deliberate approach to changes in the organization. The roster reconstitution this offseason saw a massive move away from the Ron Rivera-built roster, but little in the way of long-term commitment to the 2024 free agents. Changes to the personnel part of the football operations happened in May, after the draft, but seem to have been significant.
While it feels like longer to me (probably because of the drawn-out nature of the sale process), I’m now reminded that Josh Harris and his partners have been in charge for only 10 months.
We now have what I think is the first test of ‘character’ for the current group of owners and executives. They now have to make a decision on how to proceed in the face of allegations of wrongdoing against a current [and seemingly highly replaceable] player, with his actions said to have occurred in the past, before he was a member of the team.
I’m personally confident that the people in charge will make the appropriate decisions and take the appropriate actions. But is it fair for observers to judge the team’s statements in light of the known transgressions of the former owner? If the line between old and new is fuzzy with respect to on-field performance, should it be less fuzzy when it comes to concerns about character or workplace practices?