San Diego, CA – Former Cleveland Browns offensive lineman JC Tretter has been elected the next Executive Director of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), the union announced Tuesday. Tretter, who previously served as the NFLPA’s Director of Strategy, will lead negotiations with the league as they approach the 2030 expiration of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.
“I understand the responsibility that comes with this office and how important it is to stand shoulder to shoulder with player leadership,” Tretter said in a statement posted on X. “This union has always played a critical role in shaping the game, and that work is as important now as it ever has been.”
The NFLPA had been searching for a permanent leader since July, when then-Executive Director Lloyd Howell resigned following an ESPN report detailing allegations of improper expense charges, including visits to strip clubs. The report as well revealed Howell’s part-time employment with the Carlyle Group, a private equity firm with interests in NFL franchises, and a confidentiality agreement between the NFLPA and the league regarding arbitration rulings potentially involving collusion by team owners.
Tretter emerged as the choice after a process that began with a pool of 300 candidates and narrowed to include interim Executive Director David White, formerly a leader with the Hollywood actors’ union, and AAC Commissioner Tim Pernetti.
“We undertook an exhaustive and thorough search to identify the right long-term leader, capable of driving sustained and meaningful progress for our membership,” the NFLPA player representatives said in a statement posted on X.
The current Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NFL and the NFLPA is set to expire in 2030. Tretter’s immediate focus will be addressing negotiations with the league regarding the potential addition of an 18th regular season game and an international game for each team – proposals publicly championed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and team owners. Tretter previously served as NFLPA President from 2020 to 2024 and as Director of Strategy from October 2024 until July 2025, when he also resigned following the ESPN reports.
In July, Tretter told ESPN he was unaware of an agreement Howell had made with the league to conceal arbitration findings related to alleged owner collusion on salary cap matters. He was a candidate for the interim Executive Director position following Howell’s resignation but withdrew his name when he submitted his own resignation. At the time, he told CBS Sports he was “not interested” in being considered for the permanent role.
However, in recent weeks, Tretter re-emerged as a finalist, culminating in a confidential election process similar to the one used in 2023 when Howell was selected. Prior to that election, Tretter led a vote among player representatives to amend the NFLPA bylaws, removing the requirement that Executive Director finalists be designated members of the player representative board 30 days before the vote.
In a 2025 interview with ESPN, Tretter explained the move was to prioritize confidentiality, as candidate names had been leaked to the media in previous elections.
Over the weekend, player representatives gathered at the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego to meet the candidates and conduct interviews. Several player representatives declined to comment on the election process when contacted by ESPN, both in person in San Diego and by phone.
In a statement released Tuesday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell congratulated Tretter and highlighted the “unique perspective” he brings as a former player.
“We have worked with JC for several years, first as President of the union, when he helped the league and the NFLPA successfully manage the COVID situation during the 2020 season,” Goodell said. “We look forward to continuing to build on that relationship to advance our shared priorities, including our commitment to promoting player health and safety, and ensuring the global growth of our sport for the benefit of our fans, players and clubs.”
Players who support Tretter have emphasized his player-first mindset during his time as President and Director of Strategy. He is credited with initiating the NFLPA’s annual team evaluation reports, which survey players on working conditions at their respective clubs. He also organized an exclusive player-only offseason golf tournament in Mexico and spearheaded a campaign to ban reporters from interviewing players inside locker rooms.
However, Tretter’s tenure as NFLPA President wasn’t without its challenges. Last year, an arbitrator ruled that comments he made in 2023 regarding running back injuries violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement, as they were deemed to encourage players to feign injury. The arbitrator’s ruling cited statements Tretter made on a podcast, where he said players “need to try to create as much leverage as possible.” last month, another arbitrator determined that the union’s dissemination of team evaluation reports violated the CBA, finding that they “[disparaged] NFL clubs and individuals.”
These arbitration cases contributed to a near-quadrupling of the union’s legal expenses between 2015 and 2023. Legal costs averaged $5.1 million annually between the complete of the fiscal year in February 2016 and February 2022, then jumped to $10.8 million in the fiscal year ending February 2023, $10.9 million in the year ending February 2024, and $18.1 million in the year ending February 2025, according to data compiled from LM-2 forms filed by the union.
In addition to the arbitration disputes, the NFLPA has also been involved in a dispute with trading card company Panini over licensing rights.
NFLPA President Jalen Reeves-Maybin, who was elected to the position in 2024 following Tretter’s departure, was re-elected Monday night. According to two sources familiar with the election process, he ran unopposed.
The election of JC Tretter marks a significant moment for the NFLPA as it prepares for crucial negotiations that will shape the future of the league and the rights of its players. The coming years will test Tretter’s leadership as he navigates complex issues and advocates for the interests of NFL athletes.
Next Up: The NFL Draft is scheduled for April 23-25 in Detroit, Michigan. The NFLPA will continue to monitor developments and prepare for the upcoming CBA negotiations.
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