Brennan: Sepp Blatter had to know the details of the FIFA scandal

He knew. He had to know.

Why else would Sepp Blatter resign as FIFA's president on Tuesday, four days after he was re-elected to a fifth term?

Altruism? No way. This guy doesn't do altruism.

To allow FIFA to start anew in the midst of a burgeoning scandal? Not a chance. Entrenched officials like Blatter do not just up and leave these all-encompassing leadership positions of their own volition.

This startling decision is all about Blatter and the potential trouble he's facing. His 17-year reign always has been about him, as is the case with all the men, many of them aging Europeans, who run international sports worldwide. They don't just quit without reason. They don't give up the lives of their dreams unless they have to.

So why did Blatter resign so abruptly on Tuesday? U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and her colleagues who led the biggest corruption bust in sports history said several times last week it was only the beginning when they announced a 47-count indictment charging 14 people, nine of whom are FIFA leaders.

They made a point to say it again and again: The investigation was going to continue.

It's entirely possible it is headed right to Blatter's doorstep. Logic tells us U.S. authorities have Blatter in their sights, that perhaps they even are closing in on him.

For almost two decades, he has been the unabashed leader of what is now alleged to be the most corrupt organization in sports.

It defies credulity to think that Blatter didn't know about the more than $150 million in alleged bribes and kickbacks that have been uncovered so far by the Justice Department and FBI. It's actually difficult to believe that, as FIFA president, he wasn't the ringleader of the operation.

On Monday, the New York Times reported that U.S. authorities believe Blatter's top lieutenant at FIFA made $10 million in bank transactions that are key elements of the scandal. That revelation put the money trail closer to Blatter than it had been previously.

Did that have something to do with his decision in the hastily arranged news conference in Switzerland? How could it not?

After Blatter was re-elected Friday, he was interviewed by a Swiss television station.

"Why would I step down? That would mean I recognize that I did wrong."

Four days later, he stepped down.

Enough said.