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Former NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams is half-way through his six-month suspension for inflating stories he told about his reporting.

But based on a shower of leaks 鈥� apparently from company insiders privy to the network鈥檚 in-house investigation 鈥� Mr. Williams may be under pressure to leave NBC sooner rather than later.

According to reports in the Washington Post, the New York Times, and CNN Money, NBC has found as many as 11 instances when Williams embellished his recounting of events 鈥� including after Hurricane Katrina, when he was covering the Iraq War, covering Israel鈥檚 military action against Hezbollah聽in Lebanon,聽and at Cairo鈥檚 Tahrir Square during the Arab Spring uprisings.聽

In such cases, the anchorman (as is common practice among networks and cable channels) races to the scene of a big story, then vies with his or her competitors to give the most gripping on-the-ground report.

Williams鈥檚 embellishment, it seems, often came in later interviews, including appearances on The Daily Show and other entertainment venues.

Some NBC staff reportedly questioned Williams鈥檚 tales of reporting derring-do, but such questions became public when a former United States聽Navy SEAL聽disputed Williams鈥檚 claim that he flew with SEAL Team Six during the US-led invasion of聽Iraq聽in 2003 and that he鈥檇 later been given a piece of a helicopter used in the SEAL raid into Pakistan in 2011 that killed聽Osama bin Laden.

His recounting of events covering聽hurricane Katrina聽in 2005 鈥� seeing a body floating in the street from his hotel window in the New Orleans French Quarter 鈥� was called into question as well.

"We have concerns about comments that occurred outside NBC News while Brian was talking about his experiences in the field," NBC News president Deborah Turness聽said in announcing the suspension in February. Among those concerns: His coverage of the demolition of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and his story about meeting Pope John Paul II when Williams was a student at Catholic University in 1979.

Leading his daily 鈥淧olitico Playbook鈥� Sunday (a daily morning must-read for Washington insiders), Mike Allen explains what鈥檚 behind the string of leaks:

鈥淟ongtime broadcast executives say a triple crown of leaks about Brian Williams late last week appear to be an effort by NBC News to shame him into resigning, to avoid the messiness and possible additional expense of the firing. The brutal leaks were designed to send the message to Brian Williams and his superlawyer, Robert Barnett: 鈥榊ou鈥檙e dead. Now negotiate.鈥�

鈥淲illiams was reported to be聽under a contract of as much as $50 million (five years, at up to $10 million each). Speculation is that he鈥檒l get $20 million to $30 million to leave. The $20 million camp says that he鈥檚 so weak, he鈥檒l get less than 50 cents on the dollar. The $30 million camp says Brian has plenty of ways to embarrass the bosses and colleagues who threw him under the bus, and NBC should stop the bleeding/leaking. 鈥楬e knows things, too,鈥� a wise man pointed out.鈥�

鈥淚n private conversations, TV agents and other industry veterans have speculated that the investigation's findings could be useful in a negotiation,鈥� CNN Money reported Saturday. 鈥淣BC could offer to keep the investigation under wraps, or threaten to release it, depending on Williams鈥檚 willingness to leave.鈥�

But Politico鈥檚 Allen also reports: 鈥淣BC insiders say his return is still possible. Look for a resolution over the next several weeks.鈥� During Williams鈥檚 exile, Lester Holt has been anchoring the NBC Nightly News.

"Upon my return, I will continue my career-long effort to be worthy of the trust of those who place their trust in us," Williams said in a memo to colleagues when he stepped down as anchor in February.

Increasingly, the question is becoming: Will he in fact ever return to a position of broadcast prominence?