Under investigation and under scrutiny like never before, team owner Daniel Snyder was nowhere to be seen at the rally that preceded the Washington Commanders' 'homecoming' game Sunday.
Washington welcomed back dozens of former players who paraded around the stadium, then met with fans, before the game. Among those attending: Pro Football Hall of Fame member Art Monk and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Mark Rypien.
This came at the end of a week in which Daniel Snyder — who once vowed never to change the name of his franchise but did in 2020 during a national reckoning about racism — was a main focus of the league’s owners’ meetings in New York. And not in a good way, even though he was not a part of the formal agenda.
At least they had reason to cheer by the end of the contest, thanks in large part to Heinicke, who ended up 20 of 33 for 201 yards, two touchdown passes and one interception in his first start of the season. He acknowledged “some jitters” at the outset Sunday, saying, “I hadn’t played a full game in a long time.”