Teri P. Smith

Teri Smith was hired as Special Counsel to the Executive Director at the National Football League Players Association on August 4, 2009.  She was promoted to Deputy Managing Director in August of 2010, Acting COO in February of 2019 and then became the NFLPA’s first female and Black COO in March of 2021. 

Prior to joining the NFLPA, Teri participated in multi-million dollar merger and acquisition deals for numerous Fortune 500 companies as a corporate associate at Latham & Watkins, which was ranked as the 2nd best law firm in the world at the time she was hired.  She has advised a variety of start-up organizations, including non-profits founded by current and former professional athletes.  

Teri proudly received her undergraduate degree in Accounting, summa cum laude, from Howard University in 1997 and her Juris Doctor from Columbia University School of Law 2001.  She is licensed to practice law in the State of New York and the District of Columbia. 

Teri Smith is the first female to be named counsel at the NFL Players Association. As Chief Operating Officer, Teri has a diverse role and a broad range of responsibility within the NFLPA. She has wide influence and responsibility for not only NFLPA staff but also for players and their families. In this role, Teri provides direction of over 150 employees and advises the Executive Director on discreet legal matters and NFL front office communication. 

In 2013, she led an internal team in launching “The Trust”, an independent initiative whose sole purpose is to serve former players. The Trust is funded by money negotiated in the 2011 Collective Bargaining agreement. Her responsibilities included overseeing hiring personnel, drafting and executing relevant legal documents. She continues to serve as Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees.  She also sits on the Board of Fight For Children, a DC-based non-profit organization.  

As a previous adjunct professor in Georgetown’s Sports Industry Management program, Teri taught a sports law class and had a direct influence on many of the future leaders of the sports industry.

Currently, she is the Chair of the Women in Sports Initiative for the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association.   In the past, she was named Sports Business Journal Forty Under 40: Class of 2015.  Teri is a frequent panelist in the sports arena and continues to pursue opportunities to educate and assist those up and coming.  

Teri was raised in Charlotte, NC and now, she and her family reside in Washington, DC.