NFLPA Terminates Longtime Lawyer Amid Legal Battle Over Retaliation Claims
Heather McPhee, who has served as the NFL Players Association's associate general counsel since 2009, was fired by the union on December 30, 2025, according to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court in Washington. This termination came just twelve days after McPhee initiated a lawsuit against the NFLPA, its former executive director Lloyd Howell Jr., and senior executives Tom DePaso and Matt Curtin.
Retaliation Allegations and Federal Investigation Cooperation
In her December 18 lawsuit, McPhee alleged that the union retaliated against her for cooperating with a federal investigation into union finances and related matters. She disclosed the firing in a declaration filed in response to the NFLPA's motion to seal portions of her complaint. McPhee wrote, "On December 30, 2025, I received a Notice of Termination from the NFLPA," adding that "This Notice was sent mere hours before the NFLPA filed its Motion to Seal Portions of the Complaint."
McPhee's central claim is straightforward: she asserts that union leadership took action against her after she agreed to cooperate with the Department of Justice as a witness. According to the lawsuit summary, she agreed in May to participate in a DOJ probe examining potential misconduct by professional sports union leaders, including Howell and MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark. She alleged that union executives retaliated against her for this cooperation.
Earlier Disciplinary Actions and Discrimination Claims
The filings also detail an earlier disciplinary step taken by the union. McPhee alleged that NFLPA officials placed her on paid administrative leave in August over workplace "misconduct" after she repeatedly raised legal concerns about decisions made by union leaders. In the lawsuit, she stated that DePaso described her as "making trouble" and being "too intense and emotional."
McPhee has accused union executives of sex discrimination, breach of fiduciary duty, and retaliation. She is seeking $10 million in damages as compensation for these alleged wrongdoings. The NFLPA, through a spokesperson, declined to comment on the firing when approached by both The Athletic and ESPN, citing it as a personnel matter.
OneTeam Partners and Financial Transparency Concerns
McPhee's lawsuit and subsequent filings have placed OneTeam Partners at the heart of this legal dispute. OneTeam Partners is a licensing venture that negotiates media deals and leverages players' name, image, and licensing rights. It is co-owned by the NFLPA, MLBPA, and other sports unions.
The filings describe an incentive or equity-style plan linked to OneTeam Partners that McPhee alleged could have paid millions of dollars to senior union leaders, including Howell and Clark. Her argument is that this structure risked enriching individuals instead of fulfilling fiduciary obligations to union members. She also mentioned that she raised legal concerns internally in November 2024 about the creation of this bonus system and the recipients of the funds.
Sealing of Court Documents and Internal Union Dynamics
A significant point of contention revolves around the disclosure of information to union members. The NFLPA has sought to seal portions of McPhee's complaint, arguing that these details stem from her work as a union lawyer and are protected by attorney-client privilege. McPhee's side counters that her insights related to OneTeam Partners came from nonconfidential information. In her motion, she argued, "It appears the NFLPA will not send unredacted court filings to its union members unless the Court orders it to do so."
Beyond McPhee's case, ESPN reported additional internal movements this week, noting that the union placed Craig Jones, a security and operations employee at NFLPA headquarters, on administrative leave. ESPN cited a source linking this action to Jones speaking with an ESPN reporter last summer, including a quote from a July email where Jones wrote, "that all interaction with media must go through the director of communications."
McPhee's filings indicate that she plans to amend her complaint to include her termination, suggesting that this legal battle is far from over. The case highlights ongoing tensions within the NFLPA over transparency, financial management, and the treatment of employees who raise concerns.
