JC Tretter Steps Down, Exits NFLPA Amid Criticism

Summary:

• JC Tretter has resigned from his position as the NFL Players Association’s chief strategy officer and said he will not serve as interim director.
• Tretter has faced a lot of backlash over his past decisions, including hiring Lloyd Howell.
• The NFLPA board will reunite to choose an interim director and set up the process for a permanent hire.

JC Tretter, the NFL Players Association’s chief strategy officer, announced Sunday that he’s stepping down from his role and taking himself out of the running for interim executive director.

His decision comes just days after Lloyd Howell resigned as the union’s executive director Thursday night, leaving the NFLPA in search of a replacement.

Tretter: “I Have No Interest in Being Considered.”

Tretter told CBS Sports

Over the last couple days, it has gotten very, very hard for my family. And that’s something I can’t deal with. 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.

Tretter accepted the chief strategy officer position in October 2024 after serving as NFLPA player president from 2020 through 2024.
Following Howell’s exit, the 34-year-old was regarded as one of the best options for interim leadership, but faced immediate and vocal criticism from some former NFL players.

Ben Watson: “They Would Be Wise to Remove Tretter As Well.”

Former linebacker Will Compton wrote on X Sunday

Ben Watson, another former player and former NFLPA executive committee member, added: “They would be wise to remove Tretter as well.”

Tretter supervised the union’s controversial 16-month search that ended up with Howell’s hire in 2023 while helping push through a series of constitutional changes that kept the process private.

Howell’s leadership came under fire in recent weeks after reporting by ESPN and the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast revealed questionable expenses and a confidentiality agreement with the NFL over a collusion grievance.

Tretter denied to CBS Sports that he had access to, or negotiated, that confidential agreement.

The NFLPA’s board of player reps is scheduled to meet Sunday night to discuss interim director candidates, which include Don Davis, Zamir Cobb and Ned Ehrlich, according to ESPN.

The group will also decide how to conduct the search for Howell’s permanent replacement, and who will oversee it going forward.