For the Commanders, the probable exchange of Daniel Snyder for Josh Harris as owner could hardly be a bigger shift.
Snyder is famously difficult to work with and never found much success on the field. Harris brings humility, wisdom and a proven track record of turnarounds to the league, said Chris Heck, who worked under Harris for nine years with the 76ers, including the last five as president of business operations.
“[Harris] surrounded himself with incredibly smart -- if I dare say brilliant -- minds, like David Blitzer, like Scott O'Neil, like Michael Rubin," Heck said. "These are some of the titans in our business. It takes a strong leader to bring incredibly strong individuals into the arena with you."
Heck said he expects Harris to do with the Commanders what he did with the Sixers, and more recently, the Devils: Take a long-struggling, nearly forgotten team with a strong history and bring them back to the top tier of the leagues in wins and revenue. “All sports are hard, but to be able to capture what is possible and capitalize on it, for the benefit of your local city and your fandom, is the key, and he’s done that,” Heck said.
Heck also predicted Harris will spend a lot of time fixing the Commanders before taking an outsized role in league affairs. "He will see where he can help and where he can be engaged in the big picture for the league, but he’s not going to ruffle feathers and not take his eye off the franchise itself,” Heck said.
