Dan Snyder’s Bitter Exile: Former Commanders Owner Watches Team Thrive Without Him

LONDON, England — Dan Snyder, the former owner of the Washington Commanders, is living a life far removed from the NFL after selling the team under duress in 2023. Now residing primarily in London, Snyder is grappling with the success of the franchise he once owned, which has surged to the NFC Championship Game under new leadership.

During a dinner in London this past fall, Snyder, 60, appeared subdued as he dined with longtime associates. For the first time in over two decades, he was not overseeing an NFL season. Instead, he watched from afar as the Commanders, led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and new head coach Dan Quinn, transformed from a 4-13 record in 2023 to a 12-5 playoff contender. “He f—ing hates it,” one of Snyder’s dinner companions later told a colleague.

Snyder’s departure from the NFL was anything but smooth. After months of resistance, he reluctantly sold the Commanders to a group led by Josh Harris for a record $6.05 billion. The sale came with a $60 million fine from the NFL, which Snyder vehemently opposed. “There’s no way I’m paying,” Snyder reportedly told confidants. Despite his protests, the fine was included in the final transaction.

Since the sale, Snyder has largely retreated from public life, splitting his time between London and his $180 million superyacht, the Lady S. He has also attempted to sell his U.S. real estate holdings, including a $35 million estate in Potomac, Maryland, which he ultimately donated to the American Cancer Society after failing to find a buyer.

Sources close to Snyder say he has expressed interest in purchasing a stake in a Premier League soccer club, viewing it as a potential path to redemption. However, others doubt he will ever own another professional sports team. “He isn’t a fan of other sports,” one source said. “He’s a fan of the Commanders. That was the biggest thing.”

Meanwhile, the Commanders’ resurgence has been a source of pride for Washington, D.C., fans, who have rallied around the team in a way not seen since their last Super Bowl win in 1991. Former employees who accused Snyder of fostering a toxic workplace culture have also taken note. “Karma is real,” said Melanie Coburn, a former cheerleader and marketing director who testified before Congress about the team’s dysfunction under Snyder.

For Snyder, the Commanders’ success is a bitter pill to swallow. “It’s killing him,” said a person close to his inner circle. “He’s in denial about what led to his ouster. There’s sadness — for himself.”

As the Commanders prepare for their NFC Championship Game appearance, Snyder’s legacy remains a contentious topic. While new owner Josh Harris and his team celebrate the franchise’s turnaround, Snyder’s name is conspicuously absent from the conversation. For now, the former owner remains a ghost of the NFL’s past, watching from across the Atlantic as the team he once loved thrives without him.