NFLPA Executive Director in the Eye of the Hurricane: Conflicts of Interest and Questions
The Executive Director of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), Lloyd Howell Jr., is at the center of controversy due to his part-time, paid work as a consultant for The Carlyle Group, one of the private equity firms approved by the league that are seeking minority stakes in NFL franchises. This situation has raised questions about potential conflicts of interest and has called into question the independence of the union leader. Howell joined The Carlyle Group in March 2023, three months before being named the lead player representative in relations with the league. Last August, the NFL approved several private equity firms, including Carlyle, to invest in minority stakes of franchises, with a 10% limit. According to sources, a union lawyer suggested to Howell that he resign from his position at The Carlyle Group to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. However, Howell rejected the request and continues to work as a consultant for the firm, which is currently exploring investments in NFL franchises. Howell’s position as a union leader and his work at a firm with interests in the NFL raise suspicions of conflict of interest. A spokesperson for The Carlyle Group assured that Howell had revealed his work at the NFLPA to the firm, but that he has not had access to information about the NFL approval process nor has he participated in investment activities related to the league. Union observers and long-time executives have expressed their surprise at the situation, especially considering that Howell received a salary of $3.4 million last year as the executive director of the NFLPA.This situation adds to the growing pressure on Howell, who has also been questioned on other issues, including a confidentiality agreement with the NFL that prevented players from knowing the details of an arbitration decision on Deshaun Watson’s contract. In addition, the union has hired Ronald C. Machen of the law firm Wilmer Hale to review Howell’s activities as CEO, following reports of an FBI and federal prosecutors’ investigation into the union’s finances related to OneTeam Partners, a multi-million dollar group licensing firm. Before joining the NFLPA, Howell worked for 34 years at the technology consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton. The firm paid a $377 million fine to settle a federal government whistleblower lawsuit, which alleged overbilling. The resolution of the Booz Allen settlement was announced in July 2023, a month after the NFLPA executive committee hired Howell as its executive director. Besides his part-time work at The Carlyle Group, Howell serves on three boards of directors: GE HealthCare, Moody’s, and ManTech. For the fiscal year ended December 31, Howell received $360,038 in cash and stock from Moody’s, while GE HealthCare paid him $324,934 in cash and stock. ManTech has been privately held since its acquisition by Carlyle in 2022. A source close to the matter revealed that the NFLPA’s executive committee was aware that Howell was part of external boards and worked for The Carlyle Group. Quinn points out that positions on paid boards of directors can also pose conflicts. According to his words, it is unlikely that one can be on other boards to the extent that they might have some relationship with the league.It would be a scandalous conflict of interest for the head of a labor union to have interests in a third party aligned with the NFL.
Jim Quinn, former legal counsel for the NFLPA
