Regardless, Harris said there is “unbelievable” opportunity within the Washington market for the Commanders to regain their prominence.
All options are available for the new ownership group, which arrived to a hero’s welcome Friday in a scene filled with positivity that local reporters described as one of the most euphoric scenes at FedExField since the days of Robert Griffin III.
For those counting at home, Griffin last led Washington to success in 2012. It’s been a long decade.
In a statement released Friday, Dan and Tanya Snyder congratulated Harris and his ownership group on the purchase of the Commanders.
“We are immensely grateful to the best fans in football, the Commanders’ faithful, for the passion and unwavering support they have shown for this team and those who represented it on and off the field,” the statement read. “From the players who battled every week for that extra inch, to those who worked behind the scenes to enhance every facet of the organization, we thank you for your hard work, dedication and commitment to our team, fans, pursuit of excellence and most importantly, to each other.”
The struggles on the field and the scandals committed off it made for a discouraging environment in Washington. Snyder’s departure and Harris’ arrival represents an opportunity for a franchise rebirth and is certainly expected to prioritize a positive culture within the organization.
“A lot of stuff happened that was unfortunate. We’re focused on changing the culture,” Harris said. “I think a lot of that has hopefully been done, that’s what we think but we got to get in there. Obviously, it’s about creating a management team where everyone doesn’t look the same. …
“When you own a sports team in a city, everyone looks at what you do. It’s the old adage that my mom and dad used to say, which is like, ‘Behave as if whatever you do is going to be written about on the front page of the Washington Post’ — and here I am! When you own a team, everyone who works at the team, all of my partners, and everyone who’s creating and involved with the team, they’re a reflection on you. And so, ultimately, it’s on us. The reason some of this stuff takes a long time is it’s one person at a time and it’s all about culture. We’re going to be very intentional about culture and it’s what we’ve done in the past.”
If all of these lofty ambitions become reality, winning should follow. As Harris stressed Friday, patience will be necessary.
After two decades that tried their patience, Washington fans should be willing to give a little more. The payoff could finally be worth it.