Lloyd Howell, who recently was a finalist for the NFL Players Association’s executive director job. This brief stint has given rise to profound scrutiny and controversy. Howell’s entry into the race was almost accidental. He had been recruited by Russell Reynolds and applied “on a whim,” and he went on to become, with David White, one of the two finalists. His dreams of taking the union in a new direction faced immense obstacles. In the end, although nominated, he resigned on June 27, 2023, only hours after player representatives found out about his candidacy.
Though emancipators repped as player reps first heard the shocking news of Howell’s candidacy, it wasn’t long before cosmic opposite energy spilled the tea on Howell’s dangerous past. My union brothers and sisters warned Congress when Howell first appeared on the Booz Allen overbilling case that she might be trouble. They were worried about a resolved 2011 lawsuit for sexual discrimination and retaliation. A senior union attorney quickly volunteered to teach player representatives the ins and outs of the accusations. They emphasized the need for accountability and transparency at every step of the selection process.
On June 27, 2023, Howell was back in the news. He made his resignation announcement in a public statement, citing that he had become “a distraction” to the union’s primary work. Just hours after the announcement, Howell granted the Carlyle Group his resignation and then changed his mind. He did this, apparently, after learning that ESPN was about to publish a story detailing his extravagant spending on strip clubs.
The fallout from Howell’s resignation was swift. In 2024, he saw an enormous payday of $3.6 million, but his time with the NFLPA was tenuous. At that time, Howell had already negotiated with the league to consider expanding the length of the regular season to 18 games. This idea enjoys the public support of Commissioner Roger Goodell. Howell masterfully walked the fine line between his role. On some occasions, he proved to be the collaborative partner he had initially pledged to the players he’d be.
Although he had dropped out of the running for executive director, Howell’s history would come back to bite him. At the same time, in conversations with union members, questions emerged that needed addressing about his 2016 lawsuit regarding sexual discrimination. “Earlier in your career… you were involved in a [sexual] discrimination suit. Can you tell us more about that situation and the outcome?” asked JC Tretter, a former player and union leader.
The process to find a new executive director had already been marked by missteps. Additionally, during the search process two other executive committee members indicated that they learned of Howell’s legal history. An unnamed member veteran of the committee commented, “We were never presented with anything that said Howell was a good player. They wrote, “There was nothing to suggest that we could safely allow him through our doors today.”
As Howell’s candidacy collapsed, players went public and vented their anger and fears about the future of the union. “How can we get more money for everyone? Instead of, oh, we want to practice less and smoke more weed, let’s get into [revenue] percentage points,” remarked an unnamed player, reflecting a desire for more substantial negotiations.
The painful legacy of Howell’s resignation spurred visiting introspection from former union staff and current organizational leaders. “This obviously was embarrassing, but it got everybody’s attention, and the players are more engaged,” stated Domonique Foxworth, highlighting the unintended consequences of Howell’s tumultuous exit.
Notably, Howell’s intentions seemed aligned with some players’ desires, as he remarked, “Who doesn’t want to see more football — myself included?” Skepticism remained as to whether he could act on those ambitions. An unnamed executive committee member articulated this doubt by saying, “We’re not looking for a mom-and-pop guy to run our union.”
Lloyd Howell’s misadventures in the NFLPA are a lesson on choosing leaders under pressure. Patrick Mahomes encapsulated the collective sentiment among players when he asserted, “We need to get our choice for leader right.”
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