Former NFL Center JC Tretter Wins Election as New Players Union Chief

JC Tretter, who previously served as NFL Players Association president, has been chosen as the union's new executive director following a competitive election. The 35-year-old former center beat out more than 300 candidates to lead the organization after the previous director resigned amid scandals.

The NFL Players Association has selected JC Tretter, a former union president who stepped away from his leadership position last summer, to serve as its new executive director following Tuesday’s election results.

The 35-year-old Tretter becomes the fifth person to hold the executive director position for the NFLPA. His victory came after the union evaluated over 300 potential candidates, with Tretter ultimately prevailing in a final three-candidate race against David White, who had been serving as interim executive director, and Tim Pernetti, the American Conference commissioner in the NCAA.

“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 a 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. My sole goal is to build up the strength of the NFLPA.”

“I understand the responsibility that comes with this role and how important it is to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with player leadership. This union has always played a critical role in shaping the game, and that work is as important now as it’s ever been. The NFLPA needs leadership that listens, leads with integrity, and puts players first every day. That’s exactly how I plan to lead.”

Union officials expressed strong support for their new leader, stating they have “confidence in the leadership” Tretter will provide to the players organization.

“This decision reflects the responsibility our Board of Player Representatives carries on behalf of every player,” the NFLPA said in its official 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.”

During his professional football career, Tretter played center for nine seasons, including four years with the Green Bay Packers from 2013 to 2016, followed by five seasons with the Cleveland Browns through 2021. He also earned a degree in labor relations from Cornell University.

The search for new permanent leadership became necessary when Lloyd Howell stepped down last summer following several controversies and ethical questions surrounding his tenure.

Multiple media investigations revealed that Howell had concealed important details of an arbitration decision from union members, maintained a problematic business relationship with The Carlyle Group—a private equity company authorized to buy minority stakes in NFL teams—and charged the union for expenses related to visits to adult entertainment establishments.

During the interim period with White leading the organization, Tretter had initially been considered a strong possibility for the permanent role before he departed his union position in July 2025.

During Tretter’s tenure as NFLPA president from 2020 to 2024, he led the selection process that brought Howell into the executive director role. Tretter’s involvement also came under scrutiny when his name surfaced in a “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast episode that exposed another arbitration decision that had been kept secret from players.

A formal complaint was filed against Tretter alleging he had advised players they could feign injuries as a strategy during contract discussions. Speaking to CBS Sports, Tretter acknowledged this was “a dumb tongue-in-cheek remark” that he regretted making.

“I don’t have any proof of this,” Tretter told CBS. “I think a lot of the attacks on me came from inside the building over the last six weeks. And I don’t want to walk inside that building anymore.”

At the time of his departure, Tretter clarified to CBS that he wasn’t leaving “in disgrace,” but felt he had been left vulnerable to criticism without adequate support from the union. Despite these challenges, he maintained sufficient player support to be considered for the top executive position.

Tretter played a significant role in negotiating the current collective bargaining agreement that was finalized with the league in 2020. He also spearheaded the development of the NFLPA’s yearly “team report cards,” which enable players to evaluate each franchise’s workplace standards, covering everything from training facilities and meal programs to how teams treat players’ family members.

Team ownership has criticized the public release of these evaluations, and recently, an arbitrator determined that the union’s distribution of the report cards breached the collective bargaining agreement by containing content deemed harmful to NFL teams and personnel.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement acknowledging Tretter’s election victory.

“We have worked with JC for several years, first as union president when he helped the league and the NFLPA successfully navigate through COVID during the 2020 season,” Goodell said. “We look forward to building upon that relationship to further our shared priorities, including our commitment to advancing player health and safety and ensuring the global growth of our game for our fans, the players and our clubs.”