NFLPA Declares Members "More Engaged and Unified Than Ever"

Executive Director Lloyd Howell, Jr. outlines data-driven strategy to advocate for a player-centric future

NEW ORLEANS, La., Feb. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the NFL Players Association's (NFLPA) Executive Director Lloyd Howell, Jr. used his annual address ahead of Super Bowl XIV to applaud the union's significant progress over the past year to strengthen the organization's structure, improve communications with members, and more effectively advocate for their priorities. Howell highlighted the importance of research and data to protect the health and safety of the players while securing their financial future. 

"The players are the heart and soul of this sport and this business – they need to be at the center of every decision that is made about the League's future," said Howell. "More than ever, we are taking a data-based approach to bring fairness, transparency, and the player perspective to every aspect of the game. We will continue to challenge the status quo for our members, and I want to say, undeniably, that the NFLPA and its members are more engaged and more unified than ever."

"Every decision we make and every initiative we pursue is centered on supporting players," said NFLPA President Jalen Reeves-Maybin. "Under Lloyd's leadership, we are a modern advocacy organization focused not only on solving today's challenges but building a player-first, sustainable future for the union through regular and meaningful engagement." 

A Call to Action

During the press conference, Howell identified issues that the NFLPA will seek to address over the coming year across health & safety and revenue & compensation:

Health & Safety

• Transparent Sharing of Data: More sharing of data among the League, teams and the NFLPA to make health and safety decisions grounded in data and science.
• Smarter Scheduling and Travel: Thoughtfully addressing the physical toll of quick turnarounds and international travel without sufficient recovery time.
• Safer Field Surfaces: Continuing to advocate for safe, consistent, and high-quality grass surfaces to limit injury and still allow peak performance.

Revenue & Compensation

• Giving Players a Fair Share of the NFL's Growth: Ensuring players also benefit from the many ways the NFL and its owners make money off the players' work, including new media deals, stadium or practice facility real estate projects, international expansion, and the growth of the value of NFL franchises.
• Exploring New Compensation Structures: Providing compensation fairness through the right mix of rewarding all the players that contribute to the game's success and ensuring those players can share in the appreciation of their team's value.

About the NFL Players Association:
The National Football League Players Association is the union for professional football players in the National Football League. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of assuring proper recognition and representation of players' interests. The NFLPA has shown that it will do whatever is necessary to assure that the rights of players are protected—including ceasing to be a union, if necessary, as it did in 1989. In 1993, the NFLPA again was officially recognized as the union representing the players and negotiated a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL. The current CBA will govern the sport through the 2030 NFL season. Learn more at www.nflpa.com.

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SOURCE NFL Players Association