The NFL Players Association has fired veteran lawyer Heather McPhee, who sued the union and top executives just last month. McPhee, the NFLPA's associate general counsel since 2009, revealed her Dec. 30 dismissal in a federal court filing. Her termination came less than two weeks after her lawsuit accused the union of conspiring to block her cooperation with a federal criminal investigation into union finances.

McPhee's lawsuit alleges sex discrimination, breach of fiduciary duty, and illegal retaliation. She claims executives tried to prevent her from testifying before a Brooklyn grand jury. The investigation follows a yearlong inquiry into union and MLBPA finances. This firing deepens the turmoil at the NFLPA, which has faced multiple scandals involving former executive director Lloyd Howell Jr. and questionable spending of union resources.

The union also placed veteran employee Craig Jones on administrative leave this week. Jones had previously spoken to ESPN about Howell's use of union funds for a personalized parking space. With McPhee's firing now public, the union's internal legal battle and federal scrutiny are poised to intensify, raising serious questions about its governance and accountability to its player members.