The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) has its new leader in David White after it was announced on Sunday that he will serve as the group's interim executive director. White will take over the helm following the resignation of Lloyd Howell Jr.
Howell Jr. stepped down as the executive director of the NFLPA last month due to several controversies surrounding his term, including an alleged “collusion” with team owners that disadvantaged the players. Howell only spent two years with the NFLPA.
In a statement, NFLPA president Jalen Reeves-Maybin stressed that White went through a “comprehensive, player-led process.” He added that due diligence was observed in line with their sense of urgency to find Howell's successor.
“We have full faith in David to take the union forward and operate in the best interests of our membership. David has spent much of his career fighting for collectively bargained rights in the labor movement and is committed to putting players first in all the union does. We are confident that he will inspire solidarity and provide the necessary stability during this period of transition,” said Reeves-Maybin, as shared by NFL insider Adam Schefter.
David White has been selected as the NFLPA interim executive director. pic.twitter.com/OsdKdsjiUg
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 4, 2025
White is a seasoned labor advocate, including guiding the merger of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists in 2012. He is a graduate of Stanford Law School, Oxford University, and Grinnell College, where he also captained the football team.
Last month, former NFLPA chief strategy officer JC Tretter told CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones that the executive committee already favored White even before Howell was ultimately selected by the board of representatives.
“For the first time, Tretter now reveals that Howell was not the executive committee’s top choice. In a straw poll conducted prior to the candidates being presented, the committee voted 10-1 in favor of White over Howell. Members of the committee did not share their preference with the board,” reported Jones.
Reeves-Maybin added that the NFLPA will start its search for a permanent executive director, noting that the process will continue to be led by the players.
