On Friday, the NFL Players Association fired long-time security officer Craig Jones, whose eloquent email challenging the state of union leadership emerged last year, during the quickly-unfolding turmoil that resulted in the abrupt resignation of NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell.
After being fired, Jones sent a new email to various current and former NFLPA employees. PFT has obtained a copy of the email, and has verified its authenticity.
Because Jones speaks directly to players in his email, and because plenty of players visit this space from time to time, we've decided to post the message in full.
Before posting, we invited the NFLPA to respond to all or any portion of it. The union declined to comment.
Here's the full content of the Craig Jones email:
"Good day. My name is Craig Hampton Jones, and for 17 1/2 years, I was in the employ of the NFLPA. I served the union and the players we served with professional carriage, dedication, and with an enthusiasm for excellence. Through the years, I earned the respect of my peers and the players we served.
"On Jan. 18, 2026, I was informed that I was being placed on administrative leave for sending emails. On Feb. 13 2026 while in the throes of a family member being murdered on Jan. 25, while caring for my 94 year old mother who suffers with dementia, I received an email from Kim Murray that I was terminated immediately for sending emails deemed antagonistic.
"In the aftermath of Lloyd Howell's debacle and resignation, I sent an all staff email asking how we as a union move forward, cleansed of the miasma of Lloyd Howell's strip club schemes to undermine the NFLPA if chief architects of those schemes were still employed at the NFLPA.
"Another email that was deemed antagonistic was asking Jalen Maybin how you chose a new Executive Director with the same obvious flawed format that chose Lloyd Howell. My query was deemed antagonistic. But on Feb. 3, 2026, at the NFLPA press conference, 42 minutes in, Mike Jones of [The Athletic] asked Mr. Maybin, the exact same question I asked Mr. Maybin. At the same press conference, 54 minutes in Johnathan Jones of CBS Sports asked Mr. Maybin as well about the integrity of a selection process that is done 'oscuro.' My termination is nothing more than retaliation because I spoke simple truths to corrupt jaundice power. I couldn't stand silently by and watch the undermining of a storied union dedicated to the players whose trust we had earned with employees of commitment and a consistent well spring of results for our players.
"Charlatans bought in by Lloyd Howell in his attempt to pimp like Anamika Gupta and Matt Curtin, still lurk the halls of the NFLPA. And to make matters worse, the eunuch-esque leadership of David White and Jaylen Maybin and the jaded leadership of the HR department, morale is low in absence of prodigious leadership akin to Gene Upshaw and DeMaurice Smith.
"But players of today and storied players of yesteryear . . . don't despair or lose faith in the NFLPA.
"Even though the loyal workforce was eviserated [sic] unjustly by the Lloyd Howell banana republic and his leftover operatives still attempt to contaminate, please know players that there is still a small collective of honest, hardworking ethical staff who on most nights take their work on your behalf home with them because their regard for the players they behold as sacred.
"And despite the stench that still permeates in the ranks of some executive leadership, the rank and file of the employees who champion player concerns have faith that one day soon, players will again step up to preserve their gains and perform an exorcism within NFLPA executive leadership. The players once again becoming truly their brothers keeper will restore the union back to its illustrious mission. Always know players... with men of courage and altruism at the helm of leadership, the employees will ensure that you will never walk alone.
"To my former co-workers whom I hold so dear...you know who you are. I genuflect in your honor on how you continue unselfishly you to serve players with unwavering verve and professional aplomb as executive ineptitude swirls still around you. Don't despair. Muhammad Ali once told me, 'the deeper the pressure, the greater the poise.' You will always be cherished.
"I love you. Please remember what I always told you that I will always protect you so you can get home to your loved one's first, then I can go home to my love ones. Don't worry about me. No go fund me. I will for free any day protect what is right for free. As a prostate cancer survivor, I have no fear of the folly of fragile egotistical men. Tim Christine. I will always be indebted to the quasar light of your leadership. Finally to Don Davis and Zamir Cobb. I wish you well. You could have stood up for me.
"Craig Hampton Jones"
The email strongly suggests that Jones will be exploring his options for a possible legal challenge to the termination. The union currently is defending a lawsuit filed by former in-house counsel Heather McPhee.
Again, the NFLPA has declined to comment on the termination of Jones, or as to the contents of his email.