Something happened in the world of sports this week that was a bit unusual, based on the standards for public behavior that we’ve become accustomed to. No, I’m not talking about the problematic suggestion to return the Washington football team’s moniker back into a racial slur. But it did happen in the world of football.

On July 17, Lloyd Howell Jr., who was executive director of the NFL Players Association since late June 2023, resigned from his position. For those who don’t follow the game’s off-the-field activities, the players association is a labor union that represents NFL players. The association is charged with negotiating collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with the NFL on behalf of the players and looking out for players’ benefits, career development and support post-retirement.

Howell, who has an MBA from Harvard, stated that he wasn’t the man for the job anymore: “It’s clear that my leadership has become a distraction to the important work the NFLPA advances every day. For this reason, I have informed the NFLPA Executive Committee that I am stepping down as Executive Director of the NFLPA and Chairman of the Board of NFL Players Inc., effective immediately. I hope this will allow the NFLPA to maintain its focus on its player members ahead of the upcoming season.”

The distraction that Howell is referring to may be his part-time gig with a private equity firm called The Carlyle Group, which holds financial stakes in companies that hold media and marketing rights connected to the league. It also might be his failure to fully disclose arbitration decisions and business dealings to the players he was representing. Or it could be the visits to Atlanta strip clubs that were paid for with union funds.

We’ve become accustomed to embattled leaders and politicians denying and deflecting responsibility when confronted with their behavior. The playbook seems to be deny, attack, deny and claim victory. It’s worked for some people. Howell could’ve run that route. Instead, he surprised the NFL world when he resigned from his job at the NFL and took accountability for his actions. He also resigned from his other job, the one that appeared to create a conflict of interest, at The Carlyle Group, this week.

It’s unfortunate that owning mistakes, rather than doubling down or hiding behind excuses, is almost unheard of in today’s landscape. Howell’s resignation is a reminder that integrity still matters, even when the stakes are high and the spotlight is unforgiving.