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The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) executive committee has issued a strong rebuttal against recent media reports questioning Executive Director Lloyd Howell Jr.’s leadership, firmly denying any internal efforts to force his resignation. The controversy centers around Howell’s dual role, serving both as the union’s executive director and as a paid part-time consultant for The Carlyle Group, one of the few private equity firms approved by the NFL to invest in minority ownership stakes of its franchises.
According to ESPN, Howell joined The Carlyle Group in March 2023 and was appointed as the NFLPA’s executive director just three months later, succeeding longtime leader DeMaurice Smith. The Carlyle Group is one of three private equity firms and a consortium cleared to invest in up to 10% of an NFL team. Howell’s simultaneous employment with both organizations has led to serious concerns about potential conflicts of interest, given the union’s adversarial role against team owners in labor negotiations.
On Sunday, the NFLPA’s executive committee sent a memo to its members, obtained by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, stating:
“As members of the NFLPA Executive Committee, we categorically reject false reports insinuating doubts within this committee or suggestions that we have asked our Executive Director to step down,” the statement read. “We further reject attempts to mischaracterize the committee’s views or divide our membership. We have established a deliberate process to carefully assess the issues that have been raised and will not engage in a rush to judgment. We believe in and remain committed to working with our Executive Director and other members of NFLPA staff and player leadership who have a shared mission to advance the best interests of players. As we approach the 2025 season, we look forward to continuing our important work together and ensuring the strength and unity of our association.”
The alleged false reports likely refer to an ESPN investigation by Don Van Natta Jr. and Kalyn Kahler, which revealed that a union lawyer, not a member of the executive committee, had asked Howell to consider stepping away from Carlyle to avoid the appearance of conflict. Howell reportedly declined but said he would “do his due diligence.”
In addition to the conflict-of-interest issue, Howell is also under scrutiny for how he handled an arbitration ruling related to alleged collusion among NFL team owners to suppress fully guaranteed contracts. In a January 14 decision, arbiter Christopher Droney found that while there wasn’t enough evidence to prove collusion or award damages, the NFLPA had shown “by a clear preponderance of the evidence that concerted action was contemplated and invited” by NFL executives at a 2022 league meeting.
Regardless of this crucial information, Howell did not disclose the full contents of the arbitration ruling to players. Instead, it was only when Meadowlark Media’s Pablo Torre published the report on June 24 that players were informed of the league office’s role. On July 9, the NFLPA, under Howell’s leadership, announced it would appeal the ruling.
The entire situation has prompted debate about transparency, accountability, and...
