Not much is known with respect to the details of the NFLPA’s search for a new executive director, but it will soon come to a conclusion. CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports (via Twitter) that a vote on the matter will take place this week and that the position could be filled as early as today. 
DeMaurice Smith is in his final term at the helm of the union, following a narrow re-election in 2021. The 59-year-old was widely thought to be on his way out shortly thereafter, however, leading to the belief that a new leader would be elected in short order.
The NFLPA opened its search process for Smith’s successor in October, with the expectation that one would be voted on sometime in 2023 (despite Smith’s term running through 2025, if he had preferred to remain in place that long). As a result, the union will soon have a new leader for the first time since 2009, when Smith took over from Gene Upshaw.
The search process has been shrouded in secrecy, however, and Jones notes that the identity of the three finalists being voted on remains unknown. Few updates have emerged in recent months with respect to candidates vying for the top position, though the most public in that regard has been Matt Schaub. The former Texans and Falcons quarterback has detailed his aspirations to lead the union and the issues he would prioritize if elected, including long-term player healthcare and revenue sharing between owners and players.
The list of finalists was put together by the union’s executive committee (led by president J.C. Tretter, who has been named as a potential candidate to succeed Smith) and a select few player representatives. A general vote of all reps will determine the executive director. The current CBA is in place through 2031, so plenty of time remains between the upcoming election and the point at which negotiations on a new labor agreement will take place.
Antonio Brown should be his replacement. He is never wrong, just ask him
Side tangent: but not sure if you’ve been following his post-NFL career, but he bought an arena football team in Albany, NY (where his father played arena football in the 90s). They had been league champs the year before. He’s gone through a carousel of coaching changes and got the team suspended from the league for failing to pay anyone. There’s some youtube videos chronicling it but the wikipedia article gives some great (ridiculous, absurd, totally on brand for Antonio Brown) info.
link to en.wikipedia.org
It really is a crazy story one that ESPN should do a 30 for 30 on. The whole thing from it being his dad’s former team, lying about playing to sell tickets, locking players out of the hotel when they asked for their paycheck, getting tossed himself from the same hotel, all the coaches fired and rehired and fired again. That team won the past 2 championships I believe and now they don’t exist.
AND THE WINNER IS……………………………..
JOE IMMINENT !!
I think the executive committee would be foolish to select Shaub. He’s white and played the most entitled position in football, so he’s not representative of rank and file members and probably wouldn’t get any respect from them.
The NFLPA has always struggled for respect and to be taken seriously which is why they should hire a no nonsense mother@#$ like Samuel L. (say what again!) Jackson.
What a racist comment
Smith has never played a down in the NFL, how does he represent rank and file members? Lol. As a QB you’re typically the locker room leader and highly respected, but I guess since Schaub is white he wouldn’t get respect? Tell that to Tom Brady, Joe Burrow, and the countless Caucasian leaders in the NFL.
Smith is bowing out 2 years before his term ends which suggests he’s fully aware he isn’t representing the rank and file members to their satisfaction. Being a leader on the field or in the locker room doesn’t necessarily translate to being a strong union negotiator. It’s a similar misconception to thinking all good offensive and defensive coordinators will make good head coaches.
But here’s just the thing, those guys who are good OC/DC’s get chances still don’t they? They don’t get written off because a guy in the on a message board thinks their not qualified. Nor do they get written off for ethnicity. Schaub, or anyone, has the same potential as the rest of them. Smith may be bowing out ‘2 years early’ but he’s been there for 14 years and really hasn’t done anything of note. The ONLY thing separating your *hysterically farfetched* no nonsense Samuel Jackson, Schaub, and Smith is one ACTUALLY PLAYED in the NFL and knows how to lead a locker room of multiple different religions, ethnicities, and political views. But hey, he’s white former NFL player at an ‘entitled positio’.
It would be rather naïve to believe ethnicity played no role in NFL or NFLPA job hires. Saying this kind of discrimination exists does not make you a racist either. The league is still very much an old boys network where contacts and friendships count just as much as achievement and merit. In a perfect world “politics” wouldn’t determine who is favored and who is not but no one is going to confuse the NFL with a perfect world.
Man, you can claim that, but just like Brian Flores found out it’s BS. There’s literally rules in place for diversity when hiring, and they’ve added to those rules very recently. Yes, anyone would be naïve to believe ethnicity doesn’t play a small role, it’s just really odd hearing it from the same commenter who is claiming that because someone was a white QB they wouldn’t be good at the job? You know, the position on the field with the most leadership requirements?… The last 2 NFLPA hires were African American, there’s literally no discriminations to be found there in the last, well, 50 years. Outside of the 6 months Berthelsen was in the interim *by default btw*.
Brian is overrated. He didn’t do squat in Miami, Pitt had no problem with him leaving after 1 year there. Plenty of articles that Pit’s LB’s were mostly average last year. Minny’s D isn’t any better than last year, but excuses will still be made for him.
Crosseyed, you’re fired up this afternoon!
That wasn’t the point. I couldn’t agree more that Flores is overrated, did nothing in Miami, and even less in Pitt. The point was the more and more these minority coaches claim they ‘weren’t given a chance’ the more and more it’s proved they haven’t even been worth a HC gig. Flores went as far to sue the NFL, and not a dang $, or job, he got from it.
@MCB / The fact that public pressure has forced the NFL to create rules and incentives to achieve racial hiring diversity is a pretty clear indication that all is not well in Goodell’s Magic Kingdom.
That’s socialism.
Wow! Alot to unpack here! First are you saying a QB is out of touch with the rank and file or just a white QB? Would a black QB have a better “in touch” connection? Is it also your thought that only a non-white representative would be the respectful choice by the players? Which is more racist: You and your views or your opinion of the players views?
Wow! You should get out from under a rock more often.
I think Smith being criticized for helping the rank and file is incorrect. Smith fought hard to get the minimum salary up, easier work conditions, push for far more safety initiatives and standards with union buy-in on league rules and policies. Smith was able to get mainly the rank and file players to vote yes on two contracts. Many of the players who voted against the deals were QBs or more established star players. This is similar to what happened with the most recent baseball union contract. The very wealthy players on the committee voted against the deals but the rank and file passed deal. A union leader is to fight for all constituents, you likely never get everyone to agree but you get the best deal you can to allow work to continue. I think Smith deserves credit for doing that for the players.
I’m pretty much of the same opinion. I certainly agree that a gap exists between the star players (who are so well off financially that they really don’t need the protection of a union) and the grunts who are just trying to hang on to roster spots.