The NFL’s owners haven’t said very much about the investigation that the league is determined to keep secret. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shared his two cents on Wednesday.
Via multiple reporters, Jones said he is “very satisfied” with the investigation.
Indeed he is. Beyond the fact that Jones likely feels a debt to Washington owner Daniel Snyder because, four years ago, Snyder was one of the only owners who sided with Jones in his fight against Commissioner Roger Goodell, the league’s decision to protect Snyder in turn protects all other owners who may find themselves accused of workplace misconduct by current or former employees.
The precedent created by the WFT investigation becomes an insurance policy for the other owners. It doesn’t mean that they have been or will be in hot water; it means that if/when the water starts to heat up, they won’t have to worry about information that would potentially cook their goose becoming public.
All owners should be “very satisfied” with the investigation. By giving Snyder a pass now, they’ve set themselves up for a pass later, if for some reason they ever need one.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that Jones or any other owner is happy with the fact that supposedly secret emails were weaponized by someone who wanted to take out Raiders coach Jon Gruden. Not many (if any) questions have been asked about that specific wrinkle at the league meetings happening Tuesday and Wednesday in New York.