NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell has announced that he is stepping down from his role. In recent weeks, Howell has been at the center of controversy, including for his work as a paid consultant for a private equity firm approved to invest in the NFL.

A week after rumors reached a fever pitch that Lloyd Howell would be replaced as the executive director of the NFL Players Association, Howell has stepped down. "Two years ago, I accepted the role of Executive Director of the NFLPA because I believe deeply in the mission of this union and the power of collective action to drive positive change for the players of America’s most popular sport,