NFLPA elects Lloyd Howell as new executive director - ESPN

The NFL Players Association's board of player representatives has elected Lloyd Howell as the NFLPA's new executive director.

Howell will take over for DeMaurice Smith, with an official start date «in the coming weeks,» according to a release from the NFLPA. Smith was reelected to his fifth term for the position in 2021, and he said at the time it would be his final term. Howell becomes the NFLPA's fourth executive director, following Ed Garvey (1971-1983), Gene Upshaw (1983-2008) and Smith (2009-present).

«We are excited to have Lloyd lead our union into its next chapter and succeed DeMaurice Smith, who has ably led our organization for the past decade plus and has our gratitude and thanks,» NFLPA president JC Tretter said in a statement. «It was important for us to run a process that lived up to the prestige of the position we sought to fill. The process was 100% player led and focused on leadership competency, skills and experience. Our union deserves strong leadership and a smooth transition, and we are confident Lloyd will make impactful advances on behalf of our membership.»

It is my pleasure to welcome Lloyd Howell as our new Executive Director! I am proud that our player leadership ran a professional, confidential search for the players, by the players. I know Lloyd will lead our union well into the future. pic.twitter.com/yTySBUNv4H

The search, which lasted several months, was conducted by an 11-member NFLPA search committee made up of the union's executive officers, including Tretter and vice presidents Calais Campbell, Austin Ekeler and Richard Sherman.

«I want to congratulate Lloyd Howell on his election as Executive Director of the NFL Players Association and to thank DeMaurice Smith for his continued