Lloyd Howell Jr. has resigned as a consultant with The Carlyle Group, several days after he relinquished his position as executive director of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA).
According to ESPN, no reason was given for Howell’s resignation, as he was an operations executive with Carlyle’s aerospace and defense investment team. An issue had re-emerged regarding his dual role at The Carlyle Group, as the company is one of a select group of firms approved by the league to seek minority ownership in NFL franchises. It was viewed as a conflict of interest for Howell to hold the roles at both organizations, given the possibility that Carlyle might invest in franchises for the league.
Howell did not state that he was resigning from The Carlyle Group, but he did release a statement when leaving the NFLPA.
“It’s clear that my leadership has become a distraction to the important work the NFLPA advances every day,” Howell said in a written statement. “For this reason, I have informed the NFLPA Executive Committee that I am stepping down as Executive Director of the NFLPA and Chairman of the Board of NFL Players, effective immediately. I hope this will allow the NFLPA to maintain its focus on its player members ahead of the upcoming season.”
According to an earlier report from the media outlet, it was reported that Howell started working with Carlyle in March 2023, three months before being hired by the NFLPA as the players’ chief representative in relations with the league. In August, the league announced that it had named three private equity firms and a consortium of firms, including Carlyle, to a list of approved funds that can invest in minority franchise stakes, not to exceed 10%. Sources stated that a senior union lawyer spoke to Howell and questioned whether it was appropriate for him to continue his dual role with both organizations.
He was advised to resign from The Carlyle Group to mitigate the appearance of a conflict of interest if the company were to acquire an ownership stake in an NFL team. He declined to do so at the time.
Earlier this year, it was reported that the FBI was investigating the NFL Players Association and the MLB Players Association for their deals with the multibillion-dollar group-licensing firm OneTeam Partners. The report led the players’ union to hire Ronald C. Machen of law firm Wilmer Hale to review Howell’s activities as executive director. The FBI investigation, in conjunction with the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney’s office, is ongoing, according to sources.
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