Former Browns OL takes new role with NFLPA

All 32 player representatives for the NFL Players Association from every NFL team elected former Cleveland Browns offensive center J.C. Tretter as their organization’s executive director, the NFLPA announced on Tuesday.

The association had been without a leader since July.

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Initially, there were 300 candidates that was widdled down to three names: Tretter, Tim Pernetti, and interim executive director David White.

In a statement issued by the NFLPA, Tretter said:

“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. 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.”

The vacancy occurred during the summer when then-executive director Lloyd Howell, Jr. resigned. In an ESPN article, they reported that Howell had charged his bill twice to the NFLPA during visits to several strip clubs. In addition, ESPN found out that Howell was a part-owner in the Carlyle Group, which is a private equity firm that helps individuals attempt to purchase minority shares in NFL clubs. This all brought up possible collusion aspects.

Tretter is returning to the position as he was the head of the NFLPA back when he played for the Browns beginning in 2020, but vacated the position in 2024, and it’s chief strategy officer from October 2024 until July 2025.

The NFLPA stated:

“We conducted a thorough, deliberate search to identify the right long-term leader to deliver sustained, meaningful progress for our members.”

The fact that Tretter is a former player was seen as a reason he became the favorite for the open position. Pernetti is the President of the American Conference, while White was the former Hollywood actors’ union chief.

The current CBA expires in 2030. What is next on the agenda is the NFL’s stance of adding an 18th game to the NFL season. The league also wants to institute an International game for every club every year.

Tretter continued:

“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.”

Tretter was a fourth-round selection by the Green Bay Packers in the 2013 NFL draft and played four years after a sterling career at Cornell. He came to Cleveland in free agency in 2017 and immediately started all 16 games at center. In 2019, he signed a three-year extension, but was released prior to the final year, which would have paid him over $10 million. Analytics state the team won’t pay a center that type of coin. In August, Tretter officially retired, even though his name crept up each season when a team’s center would be injured.

At Cornell, Tretter studied labor relations. He was elected President of the NFLPA in March of 2020, right smack in the beginning stages of the pandemic. Tretter played a role in the current CBA.