Colts owner Jim Irsay says merit to oust owner Daniel Snyder

For the first time, an NFL owner publicly has called for serious consideration to remove Washington's Dan Snyder from NFL ownership.

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay held an explosive interview scrum at the fall meetings and called Snyder's missteps as owner, particularly with workplace misconduct, «gravely concerning.»

«I believe there is merit to removing him as owner of the (Commanders),» Irsay said from the hotel lobby of the Conrad New York Downtown. «There's consideration that he should be removed.»

The Mary Jo White investigations into Washington's years of alleged workplace misconduct and financial improprieties under Snyder are at the root of the issue, said Irsay, who stressed the league «potentially» could have a majority vote from owners to unseat Snyder. White is a former district attorney probing the matter on behalf of the NFL.

The league requires 24 of 32 owners to approve such a vote, which never has been done at the NFL level.

Irsay said no vote will take place at Tuesday's meetings and owners need to hear more about where the investigation stands.

A recent ESPN investigation detailed the matter while painting Snyder's shrewd plans against fellow owners, using private investigators to acquire «dirt» from their past.

«Some of the things I've heard doesn't represent us at all,» Irsay said. «I want the American public to know what we're about as owners...You can't shy away from the fact that, I believe it's in the best interest of the National Football League that we look at this squarely in the eyes and deal with it.»

A vote could come as soon as the winter meetings, said Irsay, who said owners must receive a thorough and detailed status report.

«That's not what we stand for in the National Football