Tretter beat out Giants S Michael Thomas and Buccaneers LB Sam Acho for NFLPA PresidentGETTY IMAGES
Browns C J.C. Tretter has been elected as the new NFLPA President by the union's Board of Player Reps, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport (TWITTER.com, 3/10). NFL Network's Tom Pelissero notes the NFLPA did not reveal the vote count, but Tretter's election "required a majority vote by all members in the room." He beat out Giants S Michael Thomas and Buccaneers LB Sam Acho (TWITTER.com, 3/10). ESPN.com's Cameron Wolfe reported Chargers OT Russell Okung, who serves as NFLPA VP, "dropped out of the race" for union president this morning. All four "gave speeches to the players in attendance at the NFLPA annual meetings" this morning. A source said that Okung went last and announced he was "no longer running for president." The source added that Okung then "put his support behind Thomas with a strong speech." Thomas, who was a "no" vote on the new proposed CBA, has "garnered respect from many players." Acho, a "yes" vote on the proposed CBA, and Tretter, who "hasn't made public which way he is voting, are the other two candidates left in the field." Okung's decision to drop out "comes just one day after he filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board against the NFLPA for bad faith negotiating in regards to the proposed CBA" (ESPN.com, 3/10). SI.com's Albert Breer noted when the committee votes today, it "won’t know whether or not the CBA will pass." That means they will have to vote knowing a '21 lockout "was on the table, which makes it more likely that you’d go with a hard-liner." That "would seem to favor" Thomas" (SI.com, 3/9).
LAW & ORDER: In N.Y., Ken Belson notes Okung's three-page filing with the NLRB accuses NFLPA staff, including Exec Dir DeMaurice Smith, of "forcing a vote" on the CBA "over the objections of its executive committee, in violation of the union’s constitution." The NLRB "typically takes several weeks to investigate charges and decide if there is sufficient evidence to proceed with a formal complaint, which can lead to litigation, which can take several more months." Okung said that the proposed CBA "should not have been sent to the full membership to vote because the deal was rejected by a majority" of the exec committee. Belson notes the dispute "hinges on the view of the proposal." If the proposal "constitutes an amendment to the existing labor deal, as Okung believes, it must be approved by a two-thirds majority" of the NFLPA's 32 player reps. In Okung's view, the proposed CBA "lacks enough substantive change from the current labor agreement to be considered a new deal" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/10). SI.com's Michael McCann takes an in-depth look at Okung's "charge against the NFLPA" (SI.com, 3/10). PFT’s Mike Florio said, “I applaud Russell Okung for doing this. He has stepped out of the shadows and into the light with his fight against DeMaurice Smith." Florio said Okung is "standing up and saying" that Smith has handled his "business improperly" (“PFT,” NBCSN, 3/10). However, ESPN’s Trey Wingo said, "You’ve elected DeMaurice Smith to two terms ... so it does seem weird that after electing him twice suddenly now you’re going to say he’s been negotiating in bad faith” (“Golic & Wingo,” ESPN Radio, 3/10).
