After a scandal erupted two weeks ago that resulted in executive director Lloyd Howell Jr. stepping down, the NFLPA has named David White as its new interim executive director.
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) August 4, 2025
White, the former head of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), was confirmed after a vote on Sunday night by player representatives from all 32 teams.
”I am grateful to the NFLPA’s player leadership for entrusting me with the privilege and responsibility to guide their union as interim executive director,” said White in a statement. “It’s a duty I do not take lightly, and I’m committed to reestablishing trust and ensuring the union is serving its members best. I look forward to working with the entire NFLPA team to protect players’ health and safety, secure their financial well-being, and further strengthen their voice to shape their futures.”
White was actually a finalist for the job at the NFLPA in 2023 before Howell was elected, and he arrives with a wealth of experience in negotiating, finance, legal issues and unions.
He was the head of SAG-AFTRA from 2009-2021, leading to a merger between the two that established a union of more than 16,000 members.
White was also, according to The Athletic, a strategic advisor to Ulu Ventures and CEO of consulting firm 3CG Ventures, LLC. The Stanford law graduate practiced labor and employment law and served as board chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
Now he arrives at a new union in need of leadership and stability after Howell’s mishaps cost him his job and sowed contention at the Players Association.
“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,” said NFLPA president Jalen Reeves-Maybin in a statement. “We are confident that he will inspire solidarity and provide the necessary stability during this period of transition.”
Reeves-Maybin also stated that the search for a permanent executive director will begin soon, stressing that the players will determine who will serve in that capacity.
