The Personal Conduct Policy requires teams to promptly alert the league of potential allegations. As to one of the allegations made against Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder, no such notification was made.
Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked whether Snyder alerted the league to allegation made against him in 2009, Goodell said, “I don’t recall him informing of that, no.”
As reported by the Washington Post on Tuesday, the employee in 2009 “accused Snyder of asking her for sex, groping her and attempting to remove her clothes.” The incident resulted in, reportedly, a $1.6 million settlement. A confidential settlement that, if the confidentiality had been fully respected, never would have brought the situation to light.
The punishment imposed on Snyder presumably covers that violation. Goodell wasn’t asked that question. However, it would seem to be a blatant violation of the rules, one that short-circuits the league’s ability to even begin to investigate misconduct. And it presumably would require a very significant punishment, since it becomes impossible for the NFL to even begin to get to the truth if the team hides the allegation from the league.