How to Break a Union From the Inside: The NFL Players Association, Pt. 1

This episode of 'It Could Happen Here' dives into the systemic collapse of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), revealing how a once-powerful labor union has been dismantled from within by a cabal of executives aligned with ownership interests. Host Bia Wong and guest Charles McDonald trace the union's decline from its militant roots under Gene Upshaw—whose leadership in the 1980s and 90s included strikes and real bargaining power—to the current era of managerial decay and secrecy. Key turning points include the 2008 death of Upshaw, the 2011 lockout that forced players to decertify and accept a disastrous Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and the subsequent rise of figures like J.C. Tretter and Lloyd Howell, who brought union-busting ideologies into the union’s leadership. The episode exposes how the NFLPA now functions as a service organization rather than a true labor movement, with decisions made in secret, revenue shares eroded, and player power systematically dismantled. The final act reveals the shocking reality that the union’s executive director was secretly working for a hedge fund investing in NFL teams while misusing union funds—raising serious questions about institutional corruption and the commodification of player advocacy. The episode builds a damning case that the NFLPA is no longer a protector of players but a puppet of ownership, with leadership choices driven by financial self-interest and ideological betrayal. The hosts argue that the union’s current structure—characterized by opaque elections, lack of transparency, and a focus on maintaining relationships with owners—has made it impossible for players to organize or resist exploitation. Despite the NFL’s immense profits, the average player’s earnings have stagnated, and the middle class of veteran players has been erased, replaced by a revolving door of cheap, short-term rookies. The episode ends on a cliffhanger, teasing a second part that will reveal evidence of the NFL directly paying someone to maintain control over the union—a scandal that would represent the ultimate betrayal of labor solidarity. The takeaway is clear: when unions lose their democratic foundations and become tools of capital, they cease to serve workers and become instruments of control.