David White, Named Interim Executive Director of the NFLPA
The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) has chosen David White as its interim executive director, the organization announced last Sunday night, 17 days after the resignation of Lloyd Howell Jr. White, who is the CEO of 3CG Ventures, an executive coaching and strategy firm, also serves as chairman of the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. His experience in the workplace is extensive, having led the SAG-AFTRA union, which represents 160,000 members of the entertainment industry, from 2009 to 2021.The vote was held via video conference, with the participation of a representative from each of the 32 NFL teams. This took place after interviewing the candidates during the previous two weeks. In the final list of candidates, both internal and external applicants were included. Previously, a list of five finalists had been reported, including three union members and two external candidates. White was not on that initial list. Don Davis, former player and current head of player officials for the union, was one of the finalists considered. Another of the finalists was Charlie Batch, former quarterback and player representative.I am grateful to the leadership of the NFLPA players for entrusting me with the privilege and responsibility of guiding their union as interim executive director. It is a duty I do not take lightly, and I am committed to restoring trust and ensuring that the union is serving its members to the best of its ability. I look forward to working with the entire NFLPA team to protect the health and safety of the players, ensure their financial well-being, and further strengthen their voice to shape their futures.
David White
Reeves-Maybin also announced that an “exhaustive search for a permanent executive director” will begin soon. He emphasized that this process will continue to be led by the players, as the strength of the union has always resided in its members. White was the other finalist when Howell was chosen in 2023, in an electoral process characterized by its secrecy. White was present in the election process, which took place over two days at a resort in Leesburg, Virginia.We fully trust David to lead the union and act in the best interest of our members. David has dedicated much of his career to fighting for collectively bargained rights in the labor movement and is committed to putting the players first in everything the union does. We are confident that he will inspire solidarity and provide the necessary stability during this transition period.
Jalen Reeves-Maybin, NFLPA President
Before the 2023 player representatives’ vote, the NFLPA executive committee favored White 10-1, according to then-player president J.C. Tretter. Tretter explained that the executive committee chose not to issue a recommendation to the board of representatives because they were satisfied with both finalists and wanted the player representatives to choose without their influence.
Howell resigned on July 17, following reports indicating that he had worked part-time for the Carlyle Group, a private equity firm seeking minority stakes in NFL franchises. There were also reports of a confidentiality agreement between the union and the league to prevent players from knowing an arbitrator’s decisions about possible collusion by NFL owners, and that Howell had charged visits to strip clubs to the union. A week before the election of the interim CEO, Ted Karras, Bengals center and member of the executive committee, was consulted on what he was looking for in the next CEO, given Howell’s resignation.Ryan Kelly, Vikings center and executive committee member, stated that Howell’s resignation has been a “stain on the union”. Josh Harris, representative of the Chargers, stated that it is fundamental to regain the trust of the players, emphasizing that the association belongs to the players and that they run it.Anyone holding a leadership position within our union must be above reproach.
Ted Karras
