The NFL Players Association has named retired offensive lineman JC Tretter as its next executive director just months after he resigned in scandal, saying he didn’t ‘have anything left to give the organization.’
Tretter, a 35-year-old with a degree in labor relations from Cornell, spent eight seasons with the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns until his retirement in 2021. By that time, he was serving as the NFLPA President before moving into another leadership role as chief strategy officer.
As one of the union leaders, Tretter was directly involved in the most recent collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the league, as well as the hiring of his predecessor, now-former executive director Lloyd Howell.
But it was under Howell that things went awry for both the union and Tretter.
Panini, a trading card company, won a $7 million judgement against the union for a breach of contract in 2024. Then in June of 2025, podcaster Pablo Torre revealed a confidentiality agreement between Howell and the NFL to prevent the disclosure of an arbiter’s ruling acknowledging ‘a clear preponderance of the evidence’ that teams colluded against free agents.
That reporting was corroborated by ESPN and with Howell also facing conflict-of-interest allegations over his work for Carlyle Group – a private equity firm seeking to buy minority ownership of NFL teams – he stepped down as executive director in July.
An Ivy Leaguer with a degree in labor negotiations, Tretter is now in charge of the NFLPA
Tretter had an eight-year NFL career that included stints with the Packers and the Browns
Tretter, who was not implicated in Howell’s scandals, initially denied interest in the vacant executive director position. The NFLPA had recently lost a grievance over Tretter’s 2023 suggestion that players fake injuries for leverage in contract negotiations with teams. And with Howell’s scandals still smoldering, Tretter announced his decision to step away from the union entirely.
‘I have no interest in being considered; I’ve let the executive committee know that,’ Tretter told CBS at the time. ‘I’m also going to leave the NFLPA in the coming days because I don’t have anything left to give the organization.’
But on Tuesday in San Diego, player representatives from each team elected Tretter over interim executive director David White and American Conference commissioner Tim Pernetti.
‘[The] decision reflects the responsibility our Board of Player Representatives carries on behalf of every player,’ read the NFLPA statement. ‘We conducted a thorough, deliberate search to identify the right long-term leader to deliver sustained, meaningful progress for our members. JC earned the trust of our Board and demonstrated a clear commitment to serving this membership. We’re excited about what’s ahead.’
‘There are times in your life when you know that you are exactly where you’re supposed to be. That’s where I am today,’ Tretter said in the statement. ‘I’m grateful for the trust my fellow players have placed in me, and I’m going to reward that trust with my fullest commitment to these players and chart a new course for our union.’
Lloyd Howell stepped down as executive director of the NFLPA after a series of scandals
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell released his own statement, congratulating Tretter and reminding fans that he and the retired center have already worked together, ‘successfully’ navigating the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But not everyone is so supportive of Tretter.
As one unnamed team representative told The Athletic, the decision felt less like a vote than a foregone conclusion.
‘We have utterly failed the union and its members today by voting in JC Tretter as executive director,’ the player told The Athletic. ‘This felt like a back-door deal from the beginning with some members of the executive committee. The NFLPA needs change in its leadership from top to bottom. We have not listened to our current and former members about concerns regarding JC. We have decided to fall back on friendship deals.’
The Daily Mail has sought comment from the NFLPA.
Tretter’s biggest impact with the union may have been the push for the annual team report cards. Published from 2023 through 2025, the grades were designed to pressure teams to improve everything from facilities, cafeterias, locker rooms, trainers, coaching staffs and even the treatment of players’ families.
Goodell issued his own statement, congratulating Tretter on becoming the new union boss
In January, an arbitrator agreed with the NFL’s complaint that the report cards are ‘disparaging NFL clubs and individuals’ in violation of the CBA.
But, although the arbitrator blocked the release of the report cards, they were still leaked to ESPN just last month.
Tretter now embarks on his tenure as the NFLPA’s fifth executive director, following Howell, DeMaurice Smith (2009-2023), Oakland Raiders legend Gene Upshaw (1983-2008) and Ed Garvey (1971-1983).
First on the agenda may be the NFL’s push for an 18-game season, followed by the league’s hopes to move more games overseas.
The current CBA runs through 2030, but the negotiations are expected to begin long beforehand.
