Sources say that multiple employees, including Matt Curtin—head of OneTeam Partners and board member of NFL Players Inc.—filed complaints to human resources. Allegations against McPhee include failing to follow supervisor instructions, bullying colleagues, and disrupting the union’s work environment. The interim executive director, David White, outlined the accusations in a letter, according to ESPN.
McPhee’s memos, sent just months ago, warned that the NFLPA could face legal jeopardy if it approved a bonus plan for board members at OneTeam Partners—a licensing company partly owned by the NFLPA (44%), MLBPA (22%), and several other unions. The bonus plan would have benefited former NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell and MLBPA chief Tony Clark. McPhee urged the union to investigate claims of self-allocation of equity shares by board members. The issue was separately leaked to the FBI, which then launched a probe into the union’s financial dealings, focusing on alleged irregularities with licensing deals and potential criminal conduct, as covered in The Athletic.
Notably, McPhee has not been granted whistleblower status by the FBI, leaving her without the legal protections usually afforded to those who expose wrongdoing. The timing of these events is significant: Lloyd Howell resigned in July amid multiple controversies, including alleged conflicts of interest and misuse of union funds. Following his departure, David White was named interim executive director.
Financially, OneTeam Partners has proven lucrative for the NFLPA, generating $101 million in revenue for the union from early 2024 through 2025. The current federal investigation now extends to both the NFLPA and MLBPA regarding their business with OneTeam Partners. As of this writing, neither McPhee nor her legal representatives have commented publicly on the matter.
For more on Heather McPhee’s role and the ongoing investigation, see her profile on LinkedIn.