NFLPA Figure Steps Down After 2 Years Due to Controversy
The NFLPA has seen a massive hit as Lloyd Howell, the Executive Director since 2023, has resigned from the position after two years. There have been some concerns regarding what has happened over the last week or so, and Howell has officially stepped down. He replaced DeMaurice Smith, who had held the position from 2009 until 2023. Let’s take a deeper dive into what happened to cause this significant change.
Lloyd Howell Resigns from NFLPA
Below is the full statement he released on Thursday night as his resignation from the Nation Football League Players’ Association.
“Two years ago, I accepted the role of Executive Director of the NFLPA because I believe deeply in the mission of this union and the power of collective action to drive positive change for the players of America’s most popular sport. Our members deserve a union that will fight relentlessly for their health, safety, financial futures, and long-term well-being. My priority has been to lead that fight by serving this union with focus and dedication.
“It’s clear that my leadership has become a distraction to the important work the NFLPA advances every day. 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.
“I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish at the NFLPA over the past two years. I will be rooting for the players from the sidelines as loud as ever, and I know the NFLPA will continue to ensure that players remain firmly at the center of football’s future.”
After the news that Howell was one of the paid consultants for The Carlyle Group, a private equity firm that had been approved to own a percentage of an NFL team, the NFLPA shared a statement of support. A week before that, the Players’ Association announced they were appealing an arbitration ruling that claimed they struck a confidentiality agreement with the league and colluded to conceal salary details from players.
Adam Schefter would post on social media that this was not the NFL Players’ Association forcing Howell to resign, but instead Howell’s decision to do so. It will be interesting to see how they look going forward following his resignation.
