The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) terminated veteran lawyer Heather McPhee on December 30, 2023, shortly after she filed a lawsuit against the union and several top executives. According to a court document submitted in federal court this week, McPhee served as the NFLPA’s associate general counsel since 2009. Her dismissal occurred less than two weeks after she accused the organization of retaliating against her for cooperating with a federal criminal investigation into the union’s financial practices.
In her lawsuit, McPhee claims that the NFLPA, former executive director Lloyd Howell Jr., and current senior executives conspired to obstruct her from providing testimony to a federal grand jury overseeing a yearlong inquiry into union finances. This investigation is being conducted by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn.
McPhee’s legal troubles began in August 2023, when she was placed on paid administrative leave following allegations of workplace “misconduct.” Prior to her leave, she had repeatedly expressed concerns regarding decisions made by union leaders. Her lawsuit alleges serious charges, including illegal misconduct, sex discrimination, breach of fiduciary duty, and retaliation, as she prepared to serve as a key witness in the ongoing criminal investigation.
The NFLPA has not publicly commented on McPhee’s termination. Brandon Parker, a spokesperson for the union, stated that the organization does not discuss personnel matters. The executives named in her lawsuit include longtime general counsel Tom DePaso and Matt Curtin, who is currently the president of Players Inc., a licensing arm of the union.
In a related development, multiple sources reported that Craig Jones, a veteran security and operations employee at the NFLPA’s Washington, D.C., headquarters, was placed on administrative leave this week. One source indicated that Jones faced a complaint for discussing Howell’s use of union resources to modify parking spaces for personal use. Notably, Howell had converted two parking garage spaces into one for his Porsche Cayenne Turbo, which he had adorned with the number 32, a tribute to former player OJ Simpson.
Jones previously confirmed that he received reprimands for speaking with an ESPN reporter about Howell’s actions. In an email, he expressed frustration over the backlash he received, indicating he felt compelled to speak out for his colleagues.
The controversies surrounding Howell culminated in his resignation last July, coinciding with reports alleging that he misused union funds for personal expenses, including a car service to a strip club and reimbursement requests for visits to similar establishments.
McPhee’s declaration regarding her dismissal was filed in response to a motion from the NFLPA seeking to seal parts of her December 18 complaint. Parker declined to comment on the union’s reasoning for the motion, which aims to restrict access to a document that has been public for over a month.
As the situation develops, the implications of these allegations for the NFLPA and its leadership remain uncertain, particularly as they pertain to the ongoing federal investigation.
