You’ve probably seen the name Lloyd W. Howell Jr. pop up in some pretty intense sports and business headlines lately. Honestly, if you’re a casual fan, you might have missed why a former consulting executive was running the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) in the first place. It felt like a weird fit from day one, right? A guy who spent decades in the high-stakes, corporate world of Booz Allen Hamilton suddenly holding the keys to the most powerful union in American sports.
Things moved fast.
Lloyd W. Howell Jr. didn't just walk away from the NFLPA; he resigned in July 2025 after a whirlwind tenure that barely crossed the two-year mark. To put that in perspective, his predecessors usually stayed for a decade or more. So, what happened? Why did the "outsider" strategy fail so spectacularly? It wasn't just one thing. It was a messy combination of internal friction, questionable expenses, and a massive conflict of interest involving private equity that most people are still trying to wrap their heads around.
From Booz Allen to the Gridiron: The Rise of Lloyd W. Howell Jr.
Before the drama, Howell was the definition of a corporate heavy hitter. He was a Philly kid who stayed local for a B.S. in Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. Then came the Harvard MBA. That’s the kind of pedigree that opens every door in Washington and Wall Street.
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He spent over 34 years at Booz Allen Hamilton.
Eventually, he rose to become the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Treasurer. He was basically the guy making sure the gears turned at a multi-billion dollar consulting firm that works closely with the Department of Defense. When he retired from Booz Allen in late 2022, he wasn't looking for a hobby. He was looking for a legacy.
When the NFLPA was looking to replace DeMaurice Smith in 2023, they wanted a "business-first" approach. They picked Howell in a process that was—let's be real—super secretive. Even some of the players were like, "Wait, who is this guy?" But the Board of Player Representatives, led by then-president JC Tretter, was convinced that Howell’s financial wizardry would help the union navigate the exploding revenue of the NFL.
The Conflict That Changed Everything
The trouble really started when news broke about Howell’s side hustle. While he was supposed to be fighting for the players, he was also a consultant for The Carlyle Group.
Here is why that matters:
The Carlyle Group is a private equity giant. In 2024 and 2025, the NFL started opening the doors for private equity firms to buy minority stakes in teams. You can see the problem here. You can’t exactly sit across the negotiating table from owners when you’re also working for the firms trying to buy those same teams. It looked bad. It felt like the fox was guarding the henhouse, and the players—rightfully so—started asking questions that Howell couldn't easily answer.
The Breaking Point and the "Distraction"
By the summer of 2025, the pressure was at a boiling point. It wasn't just the Carlyle Group thing. There was this bombshell report from an outside investigator that allegedly found some pretty eyebrow-raising charges on the union’s dime.
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We’re talking about strip club visits in Miami and Atlanta.
Specifically, reports surfaced that Lloyd W. Howell Jr. had expensed thousands of dollars for outings at places like Magic City in Atlanta, labeling them as "Player Engagement Events." Now, look, the NFL is a tough business, but using union dues for that kind of "engagement" is a hard sell to the rank-and-file players who are literally putting their bodies on the line every Sunday.
Howell’s resignation statement was classic corporate-speak. He said his leadership had become a "distraction."
He wasn't wrong.
When you spend more time defending your expense reports and your consulting gigs than you do fighting for player safety or the 18-game season schedule, you’ve lost the room. He stepped down from the NFLPA on July 17, 2025. Shortly after, he also cut ties with The Carlyle Group. It was a total reset.
Where Does Lloyd W. Howell Jr. Stand in 2026?
So, where is he now? If you think he’s just sitting on a porch somewhere, you don't know the corporate world. Despite the NFLPA fallout, Howell still holds some major seats at the big table.
- Moody’s Corporation: He’s still a powerhouse on their board.
- GE Healthcare: He remains a director here, too.
- University of Pennsylvania: He’s a long-standing trustee.
His reputation in the C-suite hasn't totally evaporated, but his "man of the people" era is definitely over. The NFLPA has moved on to David White as an interim leader, and the search for a permanent successor is basically a quest to find the "anti-Howell"—someone with deep labor roots rather than a private equity rolodex.
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What This Means for You (and the NFL)
If you're wondering why you should care about the fall of a union boss, think about the game. Every time there’s a lockout threat or a change in how many games are played, it comes down to the leadership of the NFLPA.
The "Howell Experiment" proved that you can’t just drop a corporate CFO into a labor union and expect it to work. Business and labor are different languages. Howell spoke the language of the owners a little too well.
The big takeaway here is about transparency. The players learned the hard way that a "secretive process" for picking a leader usually leads to a messy ending. Moving forward, the union is pushing for way more transparency. They want a leader who doesn't have a foot in the private equity world.
Actionable Next Steps for Staying Informed:
- Watch the CBA Negotiations: With Howell out, the negotiations for the 18-game season are going to look very different. Keep an eye on how the interim leadership handles the "guaranteed money" debate.
- Track Board Appointments: If you follow the business side of things, see if Howell picks up more board seats in 2026. It’ll tell you a lot about whether the corporate world has "forgiven" the NFLPA drama.
- Verify Union Leadership: Check the NFLPA official site for the announcement of the permanent Executive Director. The choice they make will signal the union's direction for the next decade.
The story of Lloyd W. Howell Jr. is a reminder that in the world of pro sports, the "business" isn't just about the numbers on a spreadsheet—it's about the trust of the people doing the work. Once that's gone, no amount of Harvard-trained strategy can save you.