Heather McPhee is an American sports lawyer who has served as Associate General Counsel for the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) since 2009, earning recognition in 2015 for successfully challenging Commissioner Roger Goodell’s suspension of running back Ray Rice.
Heather McPhee, a longtime associate general counsel for the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), has been placed on paid administrative leave after a series of events that shook the league’s most powerful labor union.
McPhee, who has served with the NFLPA since 2009, gained national attention in 2015 for her pivotal role in successfully challenging Commissioner Roger Goodell’s suspension of running back Ray Rice. Known for her fierce defense of players’ rights, McPhee had largely kept a low public profile until this year, when she sent internal memos alleging financial irregularities within OneTeam Partners—a $2 billion licensing company co-owned by the NFLPA and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA).
Her memos reportedly raised concerns that certain financial practices could violate federal laws, ultimately triggering an FBI investigation into the licensing giant.
However, sources inside the NFLPA claim that McPhee’s actions also caused deep divisions within the organization. Several internal complaints accuse her of ignoring her supervisors’ directives, creating workplace disruptions, and bullying colleagues. The NFLPA leadership responded by placing McPhee on leave and hiring the law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe to conduct a formal review.
The situation has split opinion in sports and legal circles. Supporters argue that McPhee acted as a whistleblower protecting union integrity, while critics claim her approach undermined organizational unity.
The NFLPA has yet to comment publicly on the details of the allegations or the FBI’s ongoing probe. McPhee has not made a public statement since being placed on leave.
With the investigation unfolding, the case has the potential to reshape the power dynamics within America’s most influential sports unions—raising the stakes not only for the NFLPA’s leadership but also for the athletes whose careers it represents.
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