Overview

• On July 8, the players’ union filed an appeal of Arbitrator Christopher Droney’s January ruling that found no collusion by owners in limiting guaranteed money.
• Droney’s 61-page decision affirmed evidence that Commissioner Roger Goodell and former general counsel Jeff Pash urged teams to cap guaranteed contract funds but awarded no damages.
• A confidentiality agreement between the NFL and NFLPA kept the arbitration findings hidden from members until the full report surfaced on June 24.
• Since March 2023, executive director Lloyd Howell Jr. has served as a paid, part-time consultant for The Carlyle Group, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest.
• Last month, the NFLPA hired Ronald C. Machen of WilmerHale to lead a player committee review of Howell’s conduct and the union’s governance practices.