25-07-2025
‘Irretrievably Broken': Divorce Preceded Howell's NFLPA Troubles
Months before Lloyd Howell Jr., the now-former executive director of the NFL Players Association, allegedly expensed the first of two strip club visits to the union, his personal spending was already under scrutiny during divorce proceedings. His ex-wife accused him of 'dissipating and wasting marital assets.'
The previously unreported dissolution of Howell's marriage unfolded just as he was preparing to take over the NFLPA, a role he stepped into in mid-2023 and has now exited under a cloud of controversy.
More from
Sporticast 468: What Is Gotham? Batman's Home, or New York City?
Sporticast 468: 'Pay Us What You Owe Us'
Former NFLPA President JC Tretter Resigns in Latest Union Shakeup
Patricia Howell filed for divorce in January 2023, citing an 'irretrievably broken' marriage. No additional details were included in the initial filing. The couple had been married for nearly 20 years and have two adult children.
In his formal response to her petition, Lloyd Howell denied the allegation that he had squandered shared assets and expressed a desire to resolve the matter amicably.
Court records show that by June of that year, just days before he took his post with the NFLPA, Lloyd and Patricia Howell reached a confidential mediated settlement. While the terms of their 40-page agreement remained under seal, a qualified domestic relations order issued by a judge on Aug. 4, 2023, awarded Patricia a 49.69% interest in her husband's tax-deferred retirement plan from Booz Allen Hamilton, where Howell previously served as CFO and treasurer.
During and after the divorce, Howell remained in the couple's 4,100-square-foot luxury condo in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., while Patricia relocated to a nearby high-end building. Miami-Dade County property records continue to list both as co-owners of the original condo. Earlier this year, the pair amended their settlement agreement, according to court filings.
An attorney for Patricia Howell did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Lloyd Howell did not respond to a text message seeking comment.
Last Thursday, Lloyd Howell announced his resignation from the NFLPA. 'My leadership has become a distraction,' he said in a statement released by the union. Howell earned $3.6 million in compensation in FY24, according to the association's most recent filings with the Department of Labor.
Howell's departure followed reporting by ESPN and podcaster Pablo Torre that highlighted multiple controversies involving Howell. These included his role as a defendant in a 2011 sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit brought by a female executive at Booz Allen, as well as his ongoing work as a part-time consultant for the Carlyle Group—one of the private equity firms approved to invest in NFL teams.
Just hours after Howell's resignation last week, ESPN reported that an outside investigator hired by the NFLPA had received documents showing that Howell had twice billed the union for personal visits to strip clubs. In one instance, in November 2023, Howell allegedly charged $738.82 for a car service that took him from Fort Lauderdale International Airport to a strip club in Miami Gardens, then back to his condo in Sunny Isles Beach.
On Tuesday, the Carlyle Group announced that Howell had resigned from his part-time position with the firm. Additionally, a representative for GE Healthcare told Sportico on Thursday that Howell had stepped down from the company's board of directors earlier this week. Howell also serves on the board of credit rating firm Moody's; a spokesperson for the company did not respond to questions regarding his current status.
Best of
Tennis Prize Money Tracker: Which Player Has Earned the Most in 2025?
Browns Officially Get Public Money for New Stadium in Ohio Budget
WNBA Franchise Valuations Ranking List: From Golden State to Atlanta
