The NFL Players Association has placed one of its top lawyers on paid administrative leave following complaints from multiple employees to human resources, according to ESPN. Heather McPhee, who has worked as the union’s associate general counsel for 17 years, now faces a slew of allegations about her conduct in the workplace.
Per ESPN, McPhee has been accused of failing to follow supervisors’ directions, bullying colleagues and “disrupting the union’s work environment.” The report adds that McPhee was an “outspoken and frequent critic” of former NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell, who resigned last month.
Just months ago, McPhee’s allegations against top NFLPA executives initiated an FBI probe. ESPN reports that the probe began after McPhee wrote memos warning that the NFLPA could face legal trouble when its licensing company, OneTeam Partners, pushed for a bonus plan for board members, which included Howell and MLBPA director Tony Clark.
The NFLPA, in addition to the MLBPA, is now under investigation for its financial dealings related to OneTeam Partners.
NFLPA scandal includes potential criminal actions as feds probe union’s finances, per report
Steven Taranto
One person who has filed a complaint against McPhee is Matt Curtin, who is on the OneTeam Partners board and the head of NFL Players Inc. The allegations against McPhee were outlined in a letter and signed by David White, the interim executive director of the NFLPA, per ESPN.
The report also indicates that McPhee has not been granted whistleblower status by the FBI, which means she is not subject to those legal protections.
This is the latest in what has been a tumultuous few months for the NFLPA. In July, Howell resigned from his post in the wake of several controversies. Howell’s involvement with The Carlyle Group, a private equity fund granted permission to acquire up to 10% of an NFL team, raised questions about a conflict of interest.
Additionally, Howell faced allegations of using union funds to expense trips to strip clubs. There were also accusations that top NFLPA executives colluded with the league to conceal salary details from players.
Following Howell’s resignation, the union named White as the interim executive director. White was also a top candidate for the job when Howell got the nod in 2023.