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By Stephen Diener |

Former NFL Team Employees Allege Harassment; New Name Surfaces

Ron Rivera
FILE – In this Jan. 2, 2020, file photo, Washington Redskins head coach Ron Rivera holds up a helmet during a news conference at the team’s NFL football training facility in Ashburn, Va. The Washington Redskins are undergoing what the team calls a “thorough review” of the nickname. In a statement released Friday, July 3, 2020, the team says it has been talking to the NFL for weeks about the subject. Owner Dan Snyder says the process will include input from alumni, sponsors, the league, community and members of the organization. FedEx on Thursday called for the team to change its name, and Nike appeared to remove all Redskins gear from its online store. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Fifteen women who worked in the past for Washington’s NFL team, formerly known as the Redskins, are now alleging sexual harassment and verbal abuse by former scouts and members of owner Daniel Snyder’s inner circle.

According reports, former director of pro personnel Alex Santos, former assistant director of pro personnel Richard Mann II, and radio play-by-play announcer Larry Michael are among those accused. All of them left the team within the past week.

There are no allegations against Snyder or former longtime general manager Bruce Allen, who was fired last December after spending 10 years with the franchise.

The NFL has not yet responded to an ESPN request for comment

“The Washington Redskins football team takes issues of employee conduct seriously,” the team said in a statement to The Washington Post. “While we do not speak to specific employee situations publicly, when new allegations of conduct are brought forward that are contrary to these policies, we address them promptly.”

In a text message to ESPN’s John Keim, first-year Washington coach Ron Rivera explained that the organization’s culture would change moving forward.

“Biggest thing is that we have to move forward from this and make sure everybody understands we have policies that we will follow and that we have an open door policy with no retribution,” Rivera said. “Plus my daughter works for the team and I sure as hell am not going to allow any of this!”

The team has hired D.C. attorney Beth Wilkinson of Wilkinson Walsh LLP to review the organization’s culture, policies and allegations of workplace misconduct, Wilkinson said in a statement on Thursday.

The allegations follow last Monday’s announcement that the team is retiring its nickname and logo after completing a review that began on July 3.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the team will be renamed the Washington Redwolves. That has not yet been confirmed.