Executive Compensation at the NFL Players Association (2023)
The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) is a tax-exempt, non-profit 501 (c) (5) – a labor union affiliated with the AFL-CIO – that represents players in the National Football League (32 teams divided into two conferences, that can have a maximum of 53 players each).
5 key facts reported on the Form 990 (for the year ending February 29, 2024) to know about the NFLPA include:
- The NFLPA has 32 independent voting members (directors) of its governing body (board of directors);
- The organization is based in Washington, DC and has 122 employees;
- Total revenue was $148 million (compared to $123 million in 2022) with $15 million from gains and investment income, $57 million from member dues, $71 million from royalties, and $5 million from management, agent, and financial advisor fees;
- Total expenses were $75 million with the largest expenses reported to be compensation ($29 million), fees for services – legal, accounting, lobbying, other – ($14 million), travel ($10 million), and bad debt ($10 million) and
- Net assets were $993 million (for reference, net assets were about $500 million 5 years ago).
122 employees received $29 million in compensation, which equates to an average compensation of $238,000 each. However, only 63 employees received more than $100,000 in compensation with 10 of the most highly compensated reported to be:
- $8,553,707: DeMaurice Smith, Executive Director*
- $1,447,765: Lloyd Howell, Jr, Executive Director*
- $1,111,987: Thomas DePaso, General Counsel
- $1,082,294: Tuaranna R Smith, Deputy Managing Director
- $ 892,978: Ira Fishman, Managing Director
- $ 626,087: Michele Yaras-Davis, Senior Director
- $ 621,219: Heather McPhee, Associate General Counsel
- $ 599,384: Don Davis, Sr Advisor to executive Director
- $ 598,253: Nathaniel Ehrlich, Associate General Counsel
- $ 570,788: Charles Ross, Director of Finance
*A portion of compensation is from a related organization – NFL Players, Inc.
The 10 most highly compensated employees received $16 million million in compensation in 2023. From 2015-2023, these 10 employees received $83 million in compensation (note: highly compensated employees in any of the years 2015-2022 but not in 2023 are not included):
DeMaurice Smith: Total Compensation 2015-2023: $40 million
- 2023: $8,553,707
- 2022: $7,849,404
- 2021: $3,628,981
- 2020: $3,554,838
- 2019: $3,486,229
- 2018: $3,310,409
- 2017: $3,311,375
- 2016: $3,269,375
- 2015: $3,151,172
Lloyd Howell: Total Compensation 2023: $1 million
- 2023: $1,447,765
Thomas DePaso: Total Compensation: 2015-2023: $8 million
- 2023: $1,111,987
- 2022: $1,034,015
- 2021: $1,000,665
- 2020: $ 888,705
- 2019: $ 935,322
- 2018: $ 870,437
- 2017: $ 834,907
- 2016: $ 815,891
- 2015: $ 792,688
Tuaranna Smith: Total Compensation: 2016-2023: $5 million
- 2023: $1,082,294
- 2022: $1,023,090
- 2021: $ 789,638
- 2020: $ 539,716
- 2019: $ 547,046
- 2018: $ 424,758
- 2017: $ 402,080
- 2016: $ 386,794
Ira Fishman: Total Compensation: 2015-2023: $9 million
- 2023: $ 892,978
- 2022: $ 807,689
- 2021: $1,094,632
- 2020: $1,020,129
- 2019: $1,033,160
- 2018: $ 978,741
- 2017: $ 949,971
- 2016: $ 925,164
- 2015: $ 873,034
Michele Yaris-Davis: Total Compensation: 2015-2023: $5 million
- 2023: $626,087
- 2022: $534,581
- 2021: $520,668
- 2020: $461,752
- 2019: $487,176
- 2018: $490,359
- 2017: $451,214
- 2016: $441,836
- 2015: $428,381
Heather McPhee: Total Compensation: 2015-2023: $5 million
- 2023: $621,219
- 2022: $566,811
- 2021: $533,960
- 2020: $493,624
- 2019: $498,338
- 2018: $464,370
- 2017: $445,190
- 2016: $440,849
- 2015: $422,238
Don Davis: Total Compensation: 2019-2023: $2 million
- 2023: $599,384
- 2022: $565,624
- 2021: Not Listed
- 2020: $412,753
- 2019: $449,043
Nathaniel Ehrich: Total Compensation: 2015-2023: $4 million
- 2023: $598,253
- 2022: $524,763
- 2021: $500,482
- 2020: $459,362
- 2019: $461,351
- 2018: $445,491
- 2017: $436,889
- 2016: $417,590
- 2015: $405,954
Charles Ross: Total Compensation: 2015-2023: $4 million
- 2023: $570,788
- 2022: $537,840
- 2021: $474,675
- 2020: $425,902
- 2019: $441,439
- 2018: $425,581
- 2017: $410,354
- 2016: $400,556
- 2015: $364,783
The NFLPA paid for first class and charter travel and companion travel, health or social club dues or initiation fees. Total travel costs were $10 million in 2023. Specifically,
AIRPLANE CHARTER: PER THE NFLPA POLICY, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MAY, AT HIS DISCRETION, APPROVE THE USE OF AIRPLANE CHARTERS FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE NFLPA WITH A LEGITIMATE BUSINESS PURPOSE, SO LONG AS SUCH AIRPLANE CHARTERS ARE FOR VALID BUSINESS PURPOSES CONSISTENT WITH APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986. DOCUMENTATION SHALL INCLUDE THE NAMES OF ALL INDIVIDUALS FLYING ON THE AIRPLANE, THE BUSINESS PURPOSE(S) FOR THEIR PRESENCE ON THE AIRPLANE, AND A STATEMENT OF THE BUSINESS PURPOSE(S) FOR WHICH THE PLANE WAS CHARTERED, INCLUDING AN EXPLANATION OF EACH STOP MADE BY THE AIRPLANE CHARTER FLIGHT. FIRST CLASS AND SPOUSAL TRAVEL – PURSUANT TO A RESOLUTION PASSED BY THE BOARD OF PLAYER REPRESENTATIVES, BOARD MEMBERS AND OFFICERS OF THE NFLPA AND OTHER NFLPA MEMBERS INVITED TO ATTEND OFFICIAL MEETINGS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE NFLPA MAY FLY FIRST CLASS TO SUCH MEETINGS ALONG WITH THEIR SPOUSES OR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES TAXABLE HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS TO ALL FULL TIME EMPLOYEES. THE ORGANIZATION PAYS
63 independent contractors received more than $100,000 in compensation with the 5 highest reported to be:
- $4,921,878: Winston and Strawn, of Chicago, IL for legal services
- $1,063,562: Jenson Hughes dba Hillard Heintze, of Baltimore, MD for background investigation
- $ 723,686: Russell Reynolds Associates, of NY,NY for consulting
- $ 659,040: Dechert, of Philadelphia, PA for legal services
- $ 608,308 : Renaissance Associates, of Livingston, NJ for consulting
- $
In summation, the NFLPA is a labor organization that represents the football players in the National Football League. The NFLPA has historically raised about $100-$150 million annually (but reported more than $200 million in 2020 due to gains on the sale of assets and investment income) but spends significantly less which has allowed the organization to accumulate $1 billion in net assets by 2023.
Executive compensation is high for DeMaurice Smith who received $40 million in compensation from 2015-2023, or an average of $4.5 million annually. Smith, who has been the Executive Director since 2009, left in July, 2023 and was replaced by Lloyd Howell, the former CFO of Booz Allen, who lasted two (2) years resigning in July, 2025 amid a federal investigation and allegations of judgment.
To read the IRS Form 990 (2023 for the year ending February 29, 2024), click here.
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