As the situation surrounding the Redskins continues to lose stability, ESPN's Michael Wilbon explained that he could see a scenario where team owner Daniel Snyder sells his controlling interest in the organization.
"I don't know that [Snyder will sell] but would I be surprised? No," Wilbon said Monday morning on The Sports Junkies. "I wouldn't be surprised at all because I don't believe he's going along with this."
Wilbon's theory is that Snyder is not actually on board with changing the Redskins name, a move that according to NBC Sports Washington and multiple other outlets is imminent. For decades the team name has been a source of controversy, and last week the biggest threat to the team name came when corporate partners FedEx, Nike and Pepsi all asked that Washington change its moniker and imagery associated with Native Americans.
In the past, Snyder always stood defiant on the issue, saying famously he would "never" change the name.
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"I just thought that while there's all this reporting on cooperation and collaboration, I don't believe a word of that stuff. I believe Snyder wants to fight this every step of the way," Wilbon said. "I don't believe he's going along with this. I believe Snyder is sulking and pouting and raging and I don't buy that he's sitting around and saying, 'Okay how about this name?' I just don't buy it."
The questions about Snyder emerged after Pro Football Talk and The Washington Post reported that three Redskins minority partners want to sell their shares of the team. The three men - Fred Smith, Robert Rothmann and Dwight Schar - own roughly 40 percent of the Redskins. Multiple reports show the group wants out, but can't find a buyer, and there is plenty of speculation about what that could mean for Snyder's majority shares.
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"The league will get rid of you, the leagues will throw you out," Wilbon said. "I can't see that happening, but that only happens if [Snyder] says, 'I'm not going along with this.'"
Before working at ESPN, Wilbon worked for many years at The Washington Post where he covered the Redskins for multiple seasons.
Outside of a statement last week announcing that the team will conduct a "thorough review" of its name, Snyder has not been available for comment.
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Michael Wilbon says he won't be surprised if Dan Snyder is forced to sell Redskins originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
