Browns' Tretter elected president of NFLPA
Cleveland Browns center JC Tretter was elected as new president of the NFL Players Association, the entity announced Tuesday.
Tretter was one of four players running for the post, including Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Sam Acho and New York Giants defensive back Michael Thomas.
Offensive tackle Russell Okung, soon to be a member of the Carolina Panthers, withdrew from the race earlier Tuesday, according to multiple reports.
Okung filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board on Monday, claiming the NFLPA is negotiating the proposed new Collective Bargaining Agreement in bad faith.
Tretter was the choice of the NFLPA's 32-member board of player representatives. The 29-year-old is a graduate of Cornell with a degree in industrial labor relations.
Tretter's election comes with the proposed CBA slated to be voted on through Saturday night.
Tretter hasn't indicated which way he will vote but recently broke down the pros and cons of the proposal for other players.
He mentioned the owners' request to add a 17th regular-season game and an extra wild-card contest as something players need to study closely.
"Players: We are preparing to vote on a CBA that most of us will play under for the rest of our careers," Tretter wrote on Twitter. "Before you decide whether you're for or against it, please get informed. Read up on it, talk to your player director/rep, send me questions, etc. Get as much info as you can."
NFL player representatives voted 17-14-1 to approve the deal at the NFL Scouting Combine, clearing the way for the full union vote.
While superstars who have hit $100 million paydays such as Russell Wilson and J.J. Watt were critical of the proposed pact, several player reps indicated the deal serves the majority of the union in multiple ways. That includes the addition of downtime in the offseason, as well as immediate raises for those making at or near minimum NFL salaries. There is also additional money set aside for practice squad players and the expansion of gameday rosters, which will be tied to higher wages for those added or activated on game day.
The playoffs would be expanded from 12 to 14 teams under the proposal.
Under the proposal, players also would receive a greater percentage of revenue, set to increase from 47 percent to 48 percent and go as high as 48.5 percent. Over the lifetime of the agreement, the increase is projected to be a total of $5 billion in extra pay to players.
Tretter is a six-year NFL veteran who has played with the Green Bay Packers (2014-16) and Browns. He has started 58 of 79 games played.
Tretter replaces Eric Winston, who was ineligible for re-election after not playing in 2019. Winston had served as president since March of 2014.
--Field Level Media
