Ron Rivera says the Washington Commanders can already feel the "impact" of the team's new ownership.

Josh Harris officially took over the franchise from Daniel Snyder last week.

"You can already feel the impact," Rivera said. "A lot has to do with the reaction from the fan base. Our guys have also felt it. The guys, they're getting into this. It's kind of unique."

The Commanders won the NFC East in Rivera's first season with a 7-9 record in 2020 but have missed the playoffs the past two years and haven't had a winning season since 2016.

"We've been too close," he said. "It's time now to sustain it and just proving that these are the guys, these are the coaches, that I'm the right guy to help this organization continue to go forward."

It's possible the Washington Commanders will undergo another name change.

During an appearance on "The Today Show," new minority owner Magic Johnson addressed the possibility.

"I think everything's on the table, especially after this year," Johnson said when asked about the future of the 'Commanders' nickname. "We'll see where we are with the name, but I can't say [for sure] right now."

Johnson's remarks came after "Today" host Craig Melvin suggested many fans "expressed their displeasure" with the selection of the "Commanders" nickname, which was announced in February 2022 after years of deliberation. 

The NFL has fined former Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder $60 million after an independent investigation concluded he sexually harassed a team employee and that the team withheld revenue from the NFL.

Attorney Mary Jo White, who led the investigation, informed the league's owners of her findings during a special session Thursday.

The news broke at the same time it was announced that the owners had unanimously approved the sale of the Commanders to Josh Harris for $6.05 billion.

Roger Goodell said the league was satisfied with the outcome.

NFL owners have voted to unanimously approve the sale of the Washington Commanders from the Snyder family to a group led by Josh Harris.

The Harris group is paying $6.05 billion for the franchise.

Snyder had owned the majority of the Commanders since 1999, and his family became the sole owners after he bought out his limited partners two years ago.

"Congratulations to Josh Harris and his impressive group of partners," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "Josh will be a great addition to the NFL. He has a remarkable record in business, sports, and in his communities. The diverse group that Josh has put together is outstanding for its business acumen and strong Washington ties and we welcome them to the NFL as well.

"... I know he has a commitment to winning on the field, but also to running an organization that everyone will be proud of -- and to making positive contributions in the community."

NFL owners will vote Thursday to approve the sale of the Washington Commanders from Daniel Snyder to Josh Harris, according to a source.

It was reported in April that a group led by Harris had agreed to purchase the Commanders for an NFL-record $6 billion.

The sale must be approved by at least 24 of the 32 owners.

Former Washington Commanders vice president Jason Friedman has filed suit in Virginia against the team and one of its attorneys, John Brownlee, on a defamation claim.

He testified before Congress last year alleging financial improprieties by the Washington Commanders.

Friedman, who filed the 15-page suit in the civil division of Loudoun County District Court on July 7, asked for $7.5 million in compensatory damages and another $350,000 in punitive damages, in addition to fees incurred.

He also asked for a jury trial.

Antonio Gibson, who transitioned from wide receiver to running back in the NFL, wants to line up out wide more for the Washington Commanders in 2023.

After totaling 258 carries and 1,037 yards in 2021, Gibson spent most of last season in Ron Rivera's doghouse and posted just 546 yards on 149 totes.

"Just lining up out wide, like you said," Gibson said. "I haven't shown my position. I feel the same way. Every year we talk about it, but it hasn't happened."

Leaked emails in October 2021 from Jon Gruden are believed to have led to the eventual ouster of Daniel Snyder as owner of the Washington Commanders.

"He was free and clear that October -- he just had to wait out his suspension and let everything blow over," a source close to Snyder said. "A major miscalculation. Without the leaks, he might just have survived."

Many have speculated that Snyder was behind the leak with the motivation that it would shift negative attention away from him.

Gruden and Mark Davis blamed Roger Goodell and top executives within the NFL league office. Four owners told ESPN they believe Goodell was personally involved.

Meanwhile, some DeMaurice Smith bragged that he was responsible for leaking the racist email referring to him. The leaked email coincided with a union vote where Smith narrowly kept his job. A lawyer who frequently works with the league said the timing of the leak was "suspicious because clearly it appeared to anyone paying attention that someone was trying to help De. Who had the incentive for De to keep his job? The NFL."

No matter how the leaks were engineered, multiple sources draw a direct line from emails that trickled out over a few days in October 2021 to Snyder's crash and his imminent $6.05 billion sale of the Commanders. 

League officials told ESPN that regardless of any acrimony between Goodell and Gruden, the commissioner wouldn't have approved leaking the emails, despite their racist tone. "He still wouldn't do it," a league source said. In NFL circles, it's believed that if not for the leaks, those emails would have remained buried in what owners and executives commonly refer to as "Jeff Pash's black box."

Former Washington Commanders center Chase Roullier has announced his retirement from the NFL over social media.

Roullier, 29, was released by the Commanders on May 5 after finishing the 2021 and 2022 seasons on injured reserve.

"These two years have also given me a lot of time to reflect and gain clarity on my priorities in life," Roullier wrote in a lengthy post on Instagram.

"This decision has not been an easy one, but after lots of prayer and processing I am confident it is the right one."