Roughly 34 NFLPA employees accepted the buyouts offered in February, just under half of those eligible, sources said.
Their last day was Feb. 28, meaning the union’s total workforce is now about 23% smaller than it was before the offer. The buyouts came with 12 months’ severance pay in most cases, an offer available to employees with at least seven years' experience, or about half the 150 workers there at the time.
There’s been no official word on involuntary job cuts, which were floated by NFLPA Executive Director Lloyd Howell if insufficient numbers accepted the buyouts. However, sources say Howell believes more work remains in his vision of modernizing the union staff’s capabilities, sources said.
Some NFLPA employees were perturbed by what they saw as Howell’s evolving explanation for the buyouts and potential further staff changes. In an internal meeting first unveiling the buyout package, sources said, he suggested the motivation was primarily financial. However, at the NFLPA’s regular pre-Super Bowl press conference, Howell called the union’s financial position “adequate,” and said players felt they needed “more sophisticated” support and communication from the union. The NFLPA declined comment.
