In a move that speaks volumes about its current state of turmoil, the NFLPA is ushering in new leader JC Tretter with conspicuous silence. The union has opted not to hold a press conference to formally introduce him, even as his appointment comes amid ongoing scrutiny following a series of internal controversies.

“When Lloyd Howell became the NFLPA executive director in 2023, Howell and NFLPA president JC Tretter held a press conference. With Tretter now becoming the new NFLPA executive director, there will be no press conference,” according to a ProFootballTalk X post.

The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) announced Tuesday that its board of player representatives has elected JC Tretter as the successor to former executive director Lloyd Howell.

“On behalf of the Board of Player Representatives, we are proud to welcome JC Tretter as our new executive director and confident in the leadership that he will bring to our union. This decision reflects the responsibility our Board of Player Representatives carries on behalf of every player,” the NFLPA released the statement.

There was no press conference after the decision, and none is planned. That leaves several questions unanswered publicly, starting with why Tretter accepted a role he previously said he had no interest in pursuing.

“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 told CBS Sports in July 2025.

However, his appointment now comes after a difficult period inside the union. Howell had to resign last July after coming under scrutiny amid several controversies. Among the main issues was an ESPN report that he worked as a paid consultant for The Carlyle Group, a leading global investment firm, which was seeking ownership in NFL teams, creating a conflict of interest.

After Howell stepped down, it raised more questions about how much NFLPA leadership, including Tretter, had kept from players while hiring and defending Howell. Tretter tried to become the interim executive director but faced backlash. He ultimately withdrew and resigned.

In August, David White, formerly the national executive director of SAG-AFTRA, was appointed interim executive director.

Despite the earlier controversy, Tretter ultimately emerged as the choice for the permanent role, defeating White and another finalist, Tim Pernetti, in the NFLPA’s most recent election.

JC Tretter’s past controversies resurface amid latest NFLPA announcement

His tenure in the NFLPA began in 2020 when he became president while still playing for the Cleveland Browns. He later served as the chief strategy officer from October 2024 until he resigned in July 2025.

Skipping the introductory press conference means questions around former executive director Lloyd Howell and Tretter’s own tenure remain unanswered publicly.

The NFLPA lost its grievance last year tied to Tretter after he made public comments suggesting running backs could consider using injuries as leverage. According to reports made by Pablo Torre and Mike Florio, the arbitrator ruled in favor of the NFL in this case.

“The Arbitrator upheld the Management Council’s grievance in its entirety and found that Mr. Tretter’s statements violated the CBA by improperly encouraging players to fake injury”, the league said in a statement to ProFootballTalk.

The NFL, however, also made it clear that it did not accuse any player of faking the injury, but rather that Tretter and the union might have encouraged the idea.

Tretter, however, eventually resigned from the role amid a series of issues, including concerns surrounding a confidentiality agreement between the NFLPA and the NFL, which resulted in the findings of the grievance case remaining unknown.

The original grievance, which was filed in 2022, claimed that the team owners were colluding against the players to reduce their salaries. However, as of 2025, arbitrator Christopher Droney said that there was no evidence of collusion, although there were findings of the league encouraging the owners to collude, as per reports from USA Today.

Tretter said on The Dan Patrick Show that he was unaware of the findings, including the conclusion that there was no evidence of collusion. He also mentioned that he had no discussions about the case from 2022 to 2025.

By returning without a press conference, Tretter sidesteps immediate tough questions, but his ability to unify a fractured player base will be the true measure of his second tenure as a union leader.