Lloyd Howell Jr., the executive director of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), is also working as a paid, part-time consultant for the Carlyle Group, a private equity firm. Howell began working with Carlyle in March 2023, three months before the NFLPA appointed him as the primary representative of players in their dealings with the league. In August last year, the NFL approved a group of companies, including Carlyle, to invest in minority shares of NFL franchises with a cap of 10%. Soon after, senior union lawyers questioned Howell about whether continuing his role at Carlyle, especially in its Aerospace and Defense Investment Team, might lead to a conflict of interest, particularly if Carlyle acquired NFL franchise ownership. Howell refused to step down from Carlyle.
Despite these concerns, Howell has kept his consulting role with Carlyle for almost a year. Carlyle claims Howell disclosed his NFLPA role and did not participate in the company’s NFL investment decisions, operating behind information barriers. However, union experts and former NFLPA advisors find it hard to understand how Howell can serve both roles effectively and warn about potential conflicts. Jim Quinn, a former NFLPA advisor, stated that previous union leaders did not have secondary incomes to avoid conflicts and expected Howell to resign from Carlyle after taking up the executive director position.
Howell has also faced scrutiny over his handling of union matters, including a recent arbitration ruling involving the NFL and player contracts. The union secured a confidentiality agreement with the NFL to restrict player access to judicial details, but after a public podcast revealed the arbitrator’s full report, the union chose to appeal the decision. Additionally, an investigation into Howell’s activities as executive director was launched following reports of an FBI probe into financial transactions linked to OneTeam Partners, a licensing company co-founded by the NFLPA and MLBPA.
Before joining the NFLPA, Howell spent 34 years at Booz Allen Hamilton, serving as CFO from 2016 to 2022. The firm paid a $377 million fine related to a whistleblower lawsuit involving overcharging, with the whistleblower having raised concerns to Howell. The settlement came a month after Howell joined the NFLPA as executive director. Beyond Carlyle, Howell holds board positions at GE Healthcare, Moody’s, and Mantech, earning significant compensation. The NFLPA Executive Committee knew about these external roles, but experts caution that such paid board positions might also conflict with union responsibilities.
Fan Take: This story highlights potential conflicts of interest at the highest levels of NFL player representation, raising questions about the integrity and focus of those tasked with defending players’ rights. For NFL fans, this could impact trust in the Players Association’s ability to advocate effectively, possibly influencing future labor relations and the overall environment of the sport.
