Instead of being a candidate to replace Lloyd Howell as the NFLPA’s executive director, J.C. Tretter will instead step aside from the union. The former NFLPA president said in an interview with CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones he will resign. 
“Over the last couple days, it has gotten very, very hard for my family. And that’s something I can’t deal with,” Tretter said. “So, the short bullet points are: I have no interest in being [executive director]. I have no interest in being considered; I’ve let the executive committee know that. I’m also going to leave the NFLPA in the coming days because I don’t have anything left to give the organization.”
Howell received backing from the NFLPA before, days later, deciding to step down. Tretter – who was a key figure in the Howell hire and the union’s actions during his tenure at the helm – has also emerged as the source of backlash with a number of revelations being made about his conduct. Currently the union’s chief strategy officer, Tretter was among the names listed as potential Howell replacements on an interim basis. Shortly after a meeting of player reps and the executive committee, however, things have changed.
“I love the guys [in the union], and that’s why I’ve done what I’ve done for the last six years is because I love what they do and who they are and the mission of the organization,” the 34-year-old added, noting he did not conceive a ploy to usurp Howell as the executive director. “And I think what I realized this morning when I woke up… is that I fell in love with the idea of what this place could be. And over the last six weeks, I’ve realized what this place is, and the delta between those two things.”
Tretter’s interview contains details about the process by which Howell was hired in 2023. A shift to a more streamlined vetting and interview process resulted in a hire shrouded in secrecy compared to previous ones. Tretter also noted the NFLPA’s executive voted 10-1 against Howell (with his vote being one of the 10) in a straw poll but decided not to mention it to the union’s general membership. Brought in with the hopes of leading the way through CBA talks, Howell’s tenure came to an abrupt end after revelations about his role in keeping collusion grievance findings hidden as well as conflict of interest concerns. Tretter’s connections to Howell (and thus the scandals) made him a target for scrutiny over the past few days.
Tretter expressed regret during the interview about his remarks made about Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson with respect his lack of a fully guaranteed contract. The former NFL center also offered an apology for his comments suggesting running backs could feign injury as a negotiating tactic. That spurred a grievance against the NFLPA which the league won and which resulted in the union firing the arbitrator involved in the case.
In a sign of the growing consternation over his presence in the organization, Tretter added he feels many of the “attacks” he has received in recent weeks have come from within the NFLPA. With the union seeking a new leader, Tretter will not take part in the search process nor will he stay on in any capacity.
Good
“The delta between those 2 things.” What a tool
WTF is going on the with NFLPA?
Like most union leaders, power (and money) corrupts.
Or it’s the hedge fund holes corrupting everything in this country
Corruption. He literally said it too.
Paraphrasing but he essentially boiled down to why he was a representative was because he loved the guys, and had a dream vision for the organization.
He’s now realized that friends and “guys” are on the out, and his greedy vision with the PA still footing his salary didn’t pan out so he has to cite his “family’s turmoil” rather than his short sighted greed to screw over the very players he claims to care the most about and represents. Shocker.
Just once I’d like one of these guys to grow a spine and stand on their L. Take responsibility, accountability, be a leader.
Like Tretter, buckaroo, you, and your cronies got you to this point due to your own actions. You’re not a victim. He was the mastermind that caused this train wreck; he was the engineer, Howell was just shoveling coal.
The claim, also bringing his family into this, send me too like this whole situation was not a thing he was the primary orchestrator of and of course, he’s a victim in all of this /s. What a virtue signaling scumbag, who cares for nothing but his next check.
Again if I’m a NFL player, especially a grunt on their first entry contract; working for that next check, I’d be PISSED at Tretter and would wish him fired into the sun.
You would never believe the guy in that photo was an NFL lineman. He lost the weight
They almost always do as they no longer have to over eat they can still do their normal workouts.
Well, this is a bit more surprising than Howell’s resignation, but still makes sense. I think a lot of us expected Tretter to make a play for leadership, but he was pretty exposed himself in the mess that this has brought up.
Of course, we also don’t know the guy. Perhaps he has a different perspective than we’ve considered thus far. I have to allow some leeway for that possibility-but the facts as they’ve been presented haven’t been great for Tretter.
Finally!