Lloyd Howell Resigns As NFLPA Executive Director

The turmoil to engulf Lloyd Howell early in his term as NFLPA executive director will end up producing a sea change. Howell is resigning his post, via CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.

This comes not long after the NFLPA issued a statement backing Howell amid a conflict-of-interest controversy and the recent fallout from the collusion grievance report. Howell had become an increasingly divisive figure in light of these developments, and Jones adds the union board plans to meet as soon as possible to determine a path forward.

“It’s clear that my leadership has become a distraction to the important work the NFLPA advances every day,” Howell said. “For this reason, I have informed the NFLPA Executive Committee that I am stepping down as Executive Director of the NFLPA and Chairman of the Board of NFL Players effective immediately. I hope this will allow the NFLPA to maintain its focus on its player members ahead of the upcoming season.”

While a forced resignation certainly would make sense as a logical conclusion to this swiftly developing story, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Howell made the choice to move on rather than the union forcing him out. On Sunday, the executive committee released a statement that denied reports of unrest regarding Howell’s place as executive director. That now appears an ominous offering, as Howell is out four days later.

The NFLPA appealed an independent arbiter’s ruling that no definitive collusion occurred but did so only after the findings became public. The initial ruling was handed down in January, and a Pablo Torre June report — which unearthed Christopher Droney’s grievance ruling — in June indicated the NFLPA joined the NFL in wanting the findings to remain private. This appeared odd, seeing as Droney ruled the owners likely made a collective effort to limit guaranteed money in big-ticket quarterback contracts. Rather than launch an all-out crusade against the league, the Howell-led union stood down for months. The union’s appeal will be in new hands moving forward.

Torre reported the NFLPA wanted to keep ex-union president-turned-chief strategy officer J.C. Tretter‘s remarks about Russell Wilson‘s failed crusade to land a fully guaranteed Broncos contract concealed. Howell appointed Tretter as the chief strategy officer shortly after his term as president wrapped; linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin is the current NFLPA president. The latter will play a lead role in the union’s effort to determine Howell’s replacement.

More significantly in the Howell drama, a subsequent report revealed he had done consulting work for a firm approved to purchase a minority stake in a franchise. Howell earned $3.4MM consulting for The Carlyle Group in 2024. While Carlyle released a statement that attempted to distance Howell from the firm’s workings regarding a potential franchise stake purchase, Howell continuing to do work outside of his NFLPA role brought red flags by itself. Previous union heads were not believed to have worked outside jobs, let alone serving in roles posing clear conflicts of interest.

The NFLPA named Howell as DeMaurice Smith‘s successor in June 2023. At the time, this brought surprise due to Howell’s candidacy unfolding in secret. When the ESPN.com report regarding Howell’s involvement with Carlyle surfaced, it was not set to bring his tenure to a quick close. The two stories persisting became too much to overcome for Howell, who had taken the perch after 34 years at the Booz Allen Hamilton consulting firm. He concluded that tenure as the firm’s CFO.

Howell’s time at Booz Allen included a lawsuit alleging sexual discrimination and retaliation. Earlier today, a report from ESPN.com’s Don Van Natta and Kalyn Kahler indicated two executive committee members were unaware of the lawsuit when they voted Howell into the executive director post. Two other executive committee members, though, said (via Van Natta and Kahler) the board did know of the suit before the vote. (The 2011 lawsuit was ultimately settled.)

This marks a remarkably short tenure in the executive director position. Smith served 14 years in the position, steering the NFLPA through CBA talks in 2011 and 2020. Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw was in the position for 25 years. Ed Garvey was in place in this role from 1971-83. As the union prepares to navigate the NFL’s push for an 18-game schedule, it will look for a leader equipped to remain in the role for a lengthy term. Considering the secrecy that accompanied Howell’s election, it would surprise if the executive committee’s next search was not a much more transparent process.