NFLPA Places Lawyer Tied to FBI Probe on Paid Leave

The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) has placed one of its top lawyers, Heather McPhee, on paid administrative leave after several employees filed complaints about her conduct, according to a report from ESPN.

McPhee, who has been the NFLPA’s associate general counsel since 2009, is accused of not following supervisors’ instructions, bullying colleagues, and disrupting the workplace. The decision comes months after her allegations helped spark a federal investigation into the financial dealings of both the NFLPA and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) related to OneTeam Partners, their $2 billion licensing company.

Neither McPhee nor her lawyer, William Pittard, responded to ESPN’s requests for comment. An NFLPA spokesperson also declined to comment, citing personnel policy.

Complaints and Internal Investigation

Among those who complained about McPhee is Matt Curtin, head of NFL Players Inc.—the licensing arm of the NFLPA—and a member of the OneTeam board, sources said. Within the NFLPA’s Washington, D.C., headquarters, people knew McPhee as a vocal critic of former executive director Lloyd Howell Jr., who resigned in July.

The NFLPA hired law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe months ago to investigate the workplace allegations against McPhee. In a letter dated Tuesday, interim Executive Director David White outlined the claims, ESPN reported.

Connection to the Federal Probe

The NFLPA owns 44.5% of OneTeam Partners, which is under FBI investigation for its relationship with the union, and McPhee had already hired her own legal representation. The investigation reportedly began after McPhee wrote several memos warning that OneTeam’s board bonus plan could put the NFLPA in legal trouble. Both Howell and MLBPA executive director Tony Clark served on OneTeam’s board.

A former MLBPA official also filed a whistleblower complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing Clark of misuse of funds and nepotism—claims Clark denies.

McPhee pushed for an internal review into allegations that OneTeam board members had granted themselves equity shares. The NFLPA hired attorney Richard Smith to audit the OneTeam deal. That audit ended in March, but McPhee claimed Howell shut it down improperly.

According to ESPN, McPhee is not officially recognized as a whistleblower in the FBI investigation, meaning she does not have whistleblower protections. The FBI’s inquiry remains active, with multiple football and baseball players reportedly contacted.

Broader Union Turmoil

McPhee’s case is unfolding alongside other leadership and governance investigations at the NFLPA. Attorney Ron Machen, hired by a special committee of players, is examining Howell’s leadership. Howell stepped down after ESPN reported that he had used union funds for multiple nights at strip clubs and had done consulting work for a company that could buy stakes in NFL teams.

The reporting also revealed a confidentiality agreement between the NFL and NFLPA following a settlement over alleged collusion, and the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast later made public a leaked 61-page arbitration ruling.

David White, a former leader of the SAG-AFTRA union for film production workers, became the NFLPA’s interim executive director on August 4.