National Football League

NFL Players Association announces new executive director

Published Jun. 28, 2023 1:54 p.m. ET

Lloyd Howell will succeed DeMaurice Smith as the NFL Players Association’s executive director.

The NFLPA’s board of player representatives announced Wednesday that Howell was elected as the next executive director. Smith had said last fall he planned to depart after serving one more term with the union.

Howell has spent more than 34 years at the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., most recently as chief financial officer and treasurer. He also led the company’s civil and commercial group.

"We are excited to have Lloyd lead our union into its next chapter and succeed DeMaurice Smith, who has ably led our organization for the past decade plus and has our gratitude and thanks," NFLPA President and former Browns offensive lineman JC Tretter said in a statement. "It was important for us to run a process that lived up to the prestige of the position we sought to fill. The process was 100% player led and focused on leadership competency, skills and experience. Our union deserves strong leadership and a smooth transition, and we are confident Lloyd will make impactful advances on behalf of our membership."

Howell becomes the union’s fourth executive director. He follows Ed Garvey (1971-83), Gene Upshaw (1983-2008) and Smith (2009-present).

The board voted after a monthslong search process that was led by the union’s executive officers in conjunction with the search firm Russell Reynold. The search committee included Tretter, Alex Mack, Calais Campbell, Austin Ekeler, Ryan Kelly, Jason McCourty, Brandon McManus, Thomas Morstead, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Richard Sherman and Michael Thomas. Tom DePaso was the search committee’s legal counsel.

"I want to congratulate Lloyd Howell on his election as Executive Director of the NFL Players Association and to thank DeMaurice Smith for his continued partnership and unstinting work on behalf of NFL players," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "We look forward to working with Lloyd and his team to continue growing the game and making it better, safer, and more accessible and attractive to fans around the world."

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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