Lloyd Howell Jr. is no longer with the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) due to conflict of interest claims.
This decision comes after he was accused of having a conflict of interest.
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Lloyd Howell Jr.
Lloyd Howell Jr. is an American businessman born in 1966. He previously worked for Booz Allen Hamilton and retired from his position in December 2022.
Howell also worked as the executive director of the NFL Players Association, a position he held before his retirement. The NFLPA hired an outside investigator who uncovered some questionable expenses.
The investigator found that Howell charged the union for visits to strip clubs in Miami Gardens and Atlanta. This revelation led to accusations of a conflict of interest.
Here are some key facts about Lloyd Howell Jr.'s career:
- He worked for Booz Allen Hamilton before retiring in December 2022.
- He was the executive director of the NFL Players Association.
- He resigned from the NFLPA on July 17, 2025.
NFL Players Union Chief Steps Down
Lloyd Howell Jr. stepped down as the executive director of the NFL Players Association due to mounting controversies.
The controversies surrounded Howell's relatively brief tenure, which began in 2023. He was hired after the departure of former executive director DeMaurice Smith, who held the post from 2009 until 2023.
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The search process for a new executive director was heavily criticized for its lack of transparency. Howell was ultimately chosen for the role, despite joining The Carlyle Group, a private equity firm group that the NFL utilizes to vet prospective minority stake owners in its franchises.
Howell's resignation became effective immediately, as he stated that his leadership had become a distraction to the important work of the NFLPA.
The NFL and the NFLPA entered into a confidentiality agreement to conceal information about an arbitration agreement, which all but confirmed the NFL owners engaged in collusion to keep players from receiving too many guaranteed contracts.
Howell's resignation came after a series of allegations, including expensing the NFLPA for a car service at Tootsie's Cabaret, a popular Miami-area gentlemen's club.
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Conflict of Interest and Consequences
Lloyd Howell Jr. has been at the center of a controversy involving a conflict of interest.
The FBI and federal prosecutors were investigating the union's financial ties to OneTeam Partners, a group-licensing firm co-founded by the NFLPA and MLB Players Association.
Howell, as the NFLPA executive director, serves on OneTeam's board of directors, alongside MLBPA chief Tony Clark.
Perspective and Analysis
Lloyd Howell Jr.'s tenure as the union boss was marked by controversy, with many questioning whether he prioritized personal gain over player advocacy due to his ties with the Carlyle Group.
The fact that union lawyers urged him to ditch Carlyle, but he reportedly declined, is a stark contrast to his predecessors who focused solely on union duties.
Players were kept in the dark about a crucial January arbitration ruling, thanks to a confidentiality agreement Howell oversaw, which further eroded trust.
The federal probe into the NFLPA's licensing arm, OneTeam Partners, added to the distractions and raised questions about Howell's divided focus.
His other high-paying gigs, including board payouts from Moody's and GE HealthCare, made it difficult for him to maintain an undivided loyalty to the players.
The NFLPA Executive Committee's statements of unity earlier this year couldn't overcome the controversies, and Howell's resignation was a stark admission that the distractions had become too much.
The union is now left searching for a new leader who can navigate the complex world of modern football business with unwavering allegiance to the players.
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