J.C. Tretter

Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Casey Hayward is one of many players unhappy with the NFL's decision to move his team's game this week:

I’m sure the @NFLPA president playing for the Browns didn’t have any effect on these negotiations… pic.twitter.com/MZ95eVyOiz

— Casey Hayward (@show_case29) December 17, 2021

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Raiders' game against the Cleveland Browns initially scheduled for Saturday will now be played on Monday at 5 p.m. ET. Schefter also reports the game between the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks will be moved to Tuesday night, along with the NFC East battle between the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Football Team.

Other NFL players had negative reaction to games being moved:

https://twitter.com/bigplay24slay/status/1471927143844270085

I pay my player dues just to get lied to and the rules bent! @NFL @NFLPA

If it was the other way around I swear we would be playing tomorrow

— KJ Wright (@KJ_WRIGHT34) December 17, 2021

NFL & Owners told teams before the season no games would be re-scheduled. They reiterated that teams would have to just forfeit the game. Am I lying?🤔 See how fast NFL will switch up to what benefits them & their money. If players only understood this don’t work without them.😎

— Tre Boston (@TreBos10) December 17, 2021

Wow!!!!

— fletcher cox (@fcoxx_91) December 17, 2021

These decisions come amid massive COVID-19 outbreaks around the league.

The Browns have 24 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, per Jake Trotter of ESPN, including starting quarterback Baker Mayfield and backup Case Keenum. Jadeveon Clowney, Mack Wilson and Tony Fields II were all added to the reserve list on Friday morning. The Rams and Washington have had similar issues this week.

Hayward believes Browns center J.C. Tretter, who is the current president of the NFL Players' Association, helped influence the decision to postpone the game.

The shorthanded teams would have been at a significant competitive disadvantage if the game was played as scheduled, but the league said it wouldn't postpone games for that reason this season.

NFL memo from July stated: "Absent medical considerations or government directives, games will not be postponed or rescheduled simply to avoid roster issues caused by injury or illness affecting multiple players, even within a position group." https://t.co/v6nAdLe0zi

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) December 17, 2021

As NFL Network's Tom Pelissero noted, games were postponed in 2020 because of evidence of ongoing spread. The three Browns players added to the COVID-19 list on Friday seemingly indicates that the virus is still spreading around the organization.

That game is still an important one as both the Raiders (6-7) and Browns (7-6) look to play their way into the playoffs. Both sides are clearly looking to get a fair opportunity ahead of the Week 15 battle.

Washington (6-7) and Philadelphia (6-7) are looking to climb up the division standings in the NFC East, while the Rams (9-4) will try to keep up in the NFC West if they can defeat Seahawks (5-8).  

Cleveland Browns center JC Tretter called for the NFL to discipline Kansas City Chiefs running backs coach Greg Lewis for shoving teammate Ronnie Harrison Jr. in Kansas City's 33-29 win Sunday.

"I expect that the coach gets held to the same standard—if not a higher standard—than Ronnie," said Tretter, who's also the president of the NFL Players Association, in a Zoom call. "Being the first one in there and being a coach, putting his hands on an opposing player. I don’t think there’s any room for that in this league."

Harrison was ejected in the first quarter after pushing Lewis around the neck area on the sideline.

Browns DB Ronnie Harrison got ejected after getting into it with a Chiefs coach pic.twitter.com/WtDLYNTWxh

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 12, 2021

Browns safety Ronnie Harrison gets ejected for pushing a Chiefs coach 😳 pic.twitter.com/qDm3Ar0emd

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 12, 2021

However, Lewis initially shoved Harrison after it appeared the Browns safety inadvertently stepped on Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Harrison was ejected following a video review of the incident, which was originally flagged as unsportsmanlike conduct on the Chiefs.

Myles Garrett echoed Tretter's comments.

"[Lewis] should get the same treatment that our players get," the Browns' star pass-rusher said Sunday. "He should be tossed out of the game just like Ronnie."

Head coach Kevin Stefanski was more circumspect.

"It's the oldest thing in football and in sport," he told reporters Monday. "The official always sees the second guy."

Stefanski also conceded the 24-year-old Harrison should've known better than to respond like he did.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the NFL isn't expected to levy any suspensions to Harrison or Lewis, but the league hasn't issued any official ruling.

Even if Harrison doesn't miss any additional time, the Browns have already paid a price for his ejection. They were without their starting strong safety for the majority of Sunday's contest, in which Patrick Mahomes finished 27-of-36 for 337 yards and three touchdowns.

NFLPA president JC Tretter called on the NFL to resume daily COVID-19 testing among players for the 2021 season.

Tretter wrote that the Delta variant's spread has led to an increase in cases compared to last season:

Despite our vaccination rates being extremely high, we have seen that the Delta variant can infect and spread among vaccinated people. That means, at the moment, we are in a worse spot this year than last year because the NFL has backed off a key component of our previous success: daily testing.

Since the beginning of training camp, we have been testing our vaccinated players once every 14 days. It has been ineffective as we’ve had significantly more incidents of transmission inside the building this year than last year. The NFLPA saw this coming months ago and has been advocating for a return to daily testing because it is more effective way to stop and prevent the spread of the coronavirus in our locker rooms. However, the NFL decided to move to weekly testing; and while that is a step in the right direction, it leaves us open to many of the same problems we’ve been facing.

The NFL was previously testing vaccinated players once every 14 days but increased that to once per week amid rising cases in the United States and inside NFL locker rooms. The league has also placed heavy restrictions on unvaccinated individuals, forcing them to socially distance from their teammates and wear masks at all times.

Unvaccinated players are tested daily. Tretter says transmission within team facilities has been higher because vaccinated individuals, who are far less likely to transmit and carry COVID-19 but still can do so, are not tested often enough. 

"We have seen scenarios like these happen multiple times over the last month. Recently, Tennessee finished up with 14 positives—and the team was 97% vaccinated at that time." Tretter wrote. "It’s not hard to realize how devastating that would be during a week of the regular season. Yet, incidents like this have flown under the radar because players missing training camp practices or preseason games isn’t big news. That will not be the case moving forward and a few teams are already without, or at risk of being without, key starters heading into this opening weekend."

Cleveland Browns center and NFLPA President JC Tretter believes that the NFL is trying to shame players who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine by implementing a wristband system as training camps started leaguewide this week.

ESPN's Jake Trotter relayed quotes from Tretter, who spoke with reporters Thursday.

It's a nonsensical idea. They say they need a differentiator between vaccinated and unvaccinated players. We already have a differentiator. The unvaccinated players need to wear masks. No other sports league uses any sort of scarlet marking or helmet decal or wristband, because they know it's not necessary and the teams know who's vaccinated, who's not vaccinated.

On July 16, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio relayed a memo the NFL sent to all 32 teams mandating them to visually distinguish between fully vaccinated Tier 1 and Tier 2 employees at team's facilities and everyone else. Players fall into Tier 1.

“We recommend utilizing color coded wristbands or credentials, however clubs are free to implement other methods,” the memo said, per Florio.

Tretter is not in favor of the idea.

So what it really comes down to is the NFL wanted to put a policy in place to try to shame unvaccinated players publicly about their status and make that known to everyone on the field. It shouldn't be the case because it's unnecessary. We all know who's vaccinated and who's not, and it doesn't need to be a scarlet marking on people's helmets or wrists.

Some teams have opted into the NFL's plan, like the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have given yellow wristbands to unvaccinated players.

Others have not, including Tretter's Browns.

“We’re not dividing the team over this issue,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said, per the Associated Press' Tom Withers.

The NFL recently came out with strict penalties and restrictions for COVID-19 violations. Most notably, teams could be on the hook for forfeits and missed game checks due to COVID-19 outbreaks, per a memo relayed from Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Here’s more from today’s memo, which also says the team responsible for a canceled game because of an outbreak among unvaccinated players/staff will be responsible for financial losses and subject to potential discipline from the commissioner. Wow. pic.twitter.com/Q86a2WcG1K

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 22, 2021

Brian McCarthy, the NFL's Vice President of Communications, relayed the latest vaccination numbers for the league.

For those who have been asking ... 87.9% of #NFL players overall are vaccinated (at least one shot); 19 clubs have more than 90% players vaccinated; 7 clubs have more than 95% vaccinated https://t.co/irk8jO15jO

— Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy) July 29, 2021

The NFL regular season is slated to begin on Thursday, Sept. 9. Preseason will start with the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, Aug. 5.

NFL players could change their habits after an offseason injury cost Ja'Wuan James his job with the Denver Broncos and about $10 million in salary.

Players Association president and Cleveland Browns center JC Tretter broke down the situation to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk):

"You're tasked with working out year-round. And guys have always felt teams have their back when they’re training, working out for the season," Tretter said.

"So players are watching this closely to see which teams aren't going to have players' backs. And doing this also disincentivizes guys working out. If you're going to hold this over my head, and I don't want to get hurt, well, then I'll play myself into shape, and protect myself and money."

James suffered a torn Achilles working out away from the team facility and was placed on the non-football injury list. He was later released by the Broncos as they look to avoid paying him his $10 million base salary, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The NFL stated in a memo that teams have "no contractual obligation" to pay players away from team facilities, but James is considering filing a grievance with the Players Association, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

James also used social media to call on the NFLPA to back him up after the situation: 

@NFLPA if your gonna advise all of us we need you to have our backs on the other end of this. https://t.co/TCwxSJqfms

— wuan (@JawuanJames70) May 14, 2021

Tretter is now offering his support, indicating to teams that there could be consenquences.

The seven-year NFL veteran also explained the pushback from teams could be a result of the recent trend of player autonomy.

"I think it’s coming down to control," Tretter told Breer. "You'll do what we tell you to do, when we tell you to do it, how we tell you to do it. They haven't really heard players tell them no before. And now they have had the vast majority tell them no, and I'm sure it grinds some gears on their side. This is about getting to the status quo for them, even though I think we could all realize there’s a better way."

NFL players have seemingly taken more control of their careers as of late, with star quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers fueling trade rumors this offseason after disappointments with their own organizations. The majority of teams also chose to opt out of voluntary offseason workouts.

Tretter and other players are now looking for more support from the organizations when it's needed.

The NFL Players Association has fired back at the league after the NFL issued a memo regarding the season-ending injury suffered by Denver Broncos offensive tackle Ja'Wuan James.

In a memo Wednesday, the league said that James, who reportedly tore his Achilles while working out away from team facilities, lost his guaranteed salary because he was injured while working out away from the team. 

The NFLPA sent an email to players Thursday calling the response "gutless," deeming it "a scare tactic to get you to come running back to these workouts": 

NFLPA leadership emailed all players today, calling the NFL’s memo to clubs regarding Ju’Wuan James’ recent injury “gutless” and a “scare tactic to get you to come running back” as the union continues to urge a boycott of voluntary workouts at team facilities. pic.twitter.com/x3qmRyeaKl

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 6, 2021

The union has been urging teams to boycott in-person workouts in favor of a virtual offseason program similar to the one implemented in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

James, who opted out of the 2020 season due to the pandemic, stands to lose up to $20 million, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The league's response drew the ire of players, including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes: 

So they are going to take his contract for working out in the off-season??? https://t.co/rJK7xrqpv6

— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) May 4, 2021

Yet the rule the league reminded players of in the memo has been in place since 1977, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. 

Still, the NFLPA's response said James was "working out to stay in shape under a program recommended to him by his coach," and said "clubs who care about their players" have ignored the rule in similar circumstances. 

Most teams have issued statements through the NFLPA that they will not participate in in-person workouts.

The union said there was a 23 percent decrease in missed-time injuries and 30 percent decrease in concussions without an in-person preseason (h/t Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). 

The NFLPA reportedly will not push for teams whose players have workout bonuses in their contracts to skip offseason workouts.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported teams like the Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers, who both have rosters laden with workout bonuses, will not be pushed to skip OTAs and forfeit that money.

Players from the Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions have already announced plans to skip voluntary workout sessions. The NFLPA has been pushing hard for an all-virtual offseason, similar to 2020, over player safety concerns.

NFLPA president JC Tretter has been at the forefront of pushing for better safety protocols in place for players, both in terms of COVID-19 testing and overall wear-and-tear. 

“The good news for our sport is that while the NFL season looked and felt noticeably different from previous years, we learned that the game of football did not suffer at the expense of protecting its players more than ever before,” Tretter wrote in a letter to union members this month. “Our process is to follow the science on what is safest for our guys, and many of the changes this past year—like no in-person offseason workouts/practices, the extended acclimation period before training camp and no preseason games—gave us a year of data that demonstrates maintaining some of these changes long-term is in the best interest of the game.”

The Broncos, Seahawks, Buccaneers and Lions do not typically put workout bonuses into their player contracts, though the players' statements seemed to leave some flexibility for those who do have workout-related bonuses. It's expected that more teams will follow suit, but it appears the union will leave the decisions up to the individual teams.

Florio notes that some teams may choose to convene at team facilities over a fear of losing a competitive edge. With the Bills, Packers, Jaguars and Chiefs having a significant contingent of players due bonuses for attending workouts, it's possible players within their respective divisions will also choose to hold workouts.

The situation presents an odd labor dynamic, whereby the union is attempting to make long-term changes while allowing its workforce to make individual decisions at their best short-term financial interest. 

The physical toll of football will become an increasingly large talking point with the NFL set to expand to a 17-game regular season in 2021. As part of the league's collective bargaining agreement, the NFL must renegotiate offseason protocols with the union due to the regular-season expansion. 

Members of the Denver Broncos issued a statement Tuesday through the NFL Players Association announcing they won't take part in in-person voluntary offseason workouts.

A statement on behalf of the Denver Broncos players: pic.twitter.com/b7ZQZ1Z7PY

— NFLPA (@NFLPA) April 13, 2021

"COVID-19 remains a serious threat to our families and to our communities, and it makes no sense for us as players to put ourselves at risk during this dead period," the players said. "Positivity rates in our city are higher than they were at this time last year and we know players have been infected at club facilities in recent weeks."

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, players from the Seattle Seahawks "will be issuing a similar statement through the union."

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo shared a statement from NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith and union president JC Tretter, who advocated for the NFL to adopt a similar offseason program as 2020:

From NFLPA executive director De Smith and union president J.C Tretter to their players just now, continuing to advocate for an all-virtual offseason program. pic.twitter.com/Q1ozPe9liT

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 13, 2021

According to The Athletic's Lindsay Jones, the Broncos made their decision following a Monday night call "led by" Brandon McManus and Justin Simmons.

Jones noted Von Miller and Drew Lock are among four players with workout bonuses in their contracts, and they'll have the flexibility to attend voluntary workouts.

One more comment re:Broncos not showing up for offseason workouts...
I'd bet players who have workout bonuses show up in whatever capacity they can. They going to forfeit 6 figures in a bonus? Hell no

— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) April 13, 2021

The Denver Post's Ryan O'Halloran reported more teams are expected to follow Denver's lead. Not every squad has so few players with those kinds of bonuses written into their contracts, though.

Teams with the most players with workout bonuses

Bills- 28
Chiefs- 25
Jaguars- 24
Packers- 19
Dolphins- 13
Bears- 11
Vikings- 11
Patriots- 10
Raiders- 9
Bengals-8
Giants- 8

Wash., Cowboys and Texans have a lot of base salaries tied to workout participation. Id guess every vet

— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) April 13, 2021

Voluntary workouts can begin as early as Monday.

ESPN's Adam Schefter shared a memo from the NFL on Tuesday regarding COVID-19 vaccinations. The league suggested teams should use their stadiums or practice facilities as vaccination sites and outlined that "Tier 1 and 2 employees (other than players) should be expected to be vaccinated unless they have a bona fide medical or religious ground for not doing so." 

In a memo sent to teams today, the NFL is encouraging players and personnel to get vaccinated. Team facilities were safest place to be in the community. NFL believes it will make it even safer and help return to normalcy - no testing, won’t have to wear a mask or tracking device. pic.twitter.com/DTsOlRmgDk

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 13, 2021

The NFL also stated teams that "reach a certain threshold" of vaccinations could have COVID-19 health and safety protocols relaxed.

That would be a significant contrast from the 2020 offseason, when in-person contact was extremely limited prior to training camps. And even when players returned to their team facilities, they still had to follow masking and social distancing guidelines.

NFL Players Association president JC Tretter has told union members to boycott offseason training activities if the league does not agree to an all-virtual summer practice schedule, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero:

Only about 300 of 2,500 players have workout bonuses they’d lose if they skip OTAs. Under the CBA, the lone mandatory work prior to training camp is a June minicamp, which the union also wants to be virtual this year amidst the ongoing COVID pandemic. Talks with owners continue.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 9, 2021

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport tweeted on Wednesday that teams expect some on-field group practices to take place this offseason with health and safety protocols at the forefront of those discussions. 

---

In a column posted to the NFLPA website, Tretter explained why he believes continuing with virtual offseasons is better for the game overall. Data reviewed by a third party after last year found a 23 percent decrease in missed-time injuries, a 30 percent reduction in concussions and a 45 percent decrease in heat-related illness. 

Tretter wrote: 

"The good news for our sport is that while the NFL season looked and felt noticeably different from previous years, we learned that the game of football did not suffer at the expense of protecting its players more than ever before. Our process is to follow the science on what is safest for our guys, and many of the changes this past year—like no in-person offseason workouts/practices, the extended acclimation period before training camp and no preseason games—gave us a year of data that demonstrates maintaining some of these changes long-term is in the best interest of the game."

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported in late March the NFLPA's concern over the ongoing pandemic, as well, when it comes to OTAs. While vaccinations are rising, the union is worried over the rise of new COVID-19 variants that continue to spread. 

Only one minicamp is considered mandatory by the league, but even that was scrapped last offseason as the pandemic changed the landscape of sports. 

Tretter and the Players' Union leadership aren't ready for things to go back to the way they were and are willing to direct their members to boycott if the NFL disagrees. 

NFLPA president JC Tretter released a statement Thursday calling for the elimination of minicamps and offseason workouts, saying they place players in unnecessary danger. 

"I believe the changes implemented this season have demonstrated that we can put an entertaining product out on the field while further reducing wear and tear on our players' bodies," Tretter wrote Thursday. "There is no reason for us to ever return to the previous offseason program."

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the elimination of the NFL's offseason program, which includes occasional contact practices. While some of those are optional, it's essentially an unwritten rule that most players attend even the optional sessions.  

As Tretter noted, the NFL is the only major professional sports league in the United States that requires players to gather in the offseason for practice sessions: 

"The most physically demanding sport is the only league that brings their players back for extra practices outside of the season. The argument in favor of these offseason practices is based on the assumption that players need reps during OTAs to develop and learn while teams need the practices to gel. Yet, the lack of OTAs this year demonstrated that those theories aren't substantiated. New and first-year head coaches had success. Newly assembled teams had success. Rookies stepped in and played at a high level all across the league."

The lack of offseason sessions, along with the elimination of the preseason, went essentially unnoticeable for fans once the regular season began. Tretter's point that the additional wear-and-tear on players' bodies is unnecessary is likely a good one, though it's an issue that must be collectively bargained. With the NFL's CBA ratified through the 2030 season, it would be up to ownership to come back to the table and make alterations to the offseason schedule.

The NFL is considering the elimination of a number of preseason games in exchange for a 17th regular-season game. ESPN's Seth Wickersham reported commissioner Roger Goodell received pushback from his desire to cut the preseason to two games but that some team owners felt three could work. Season ticket packages require fans pay for preseason games, so any reduction of overall games would lead to a hit in revenue.

Tretter has been at the forefront of fighting for player safety throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with the players ultimately getting their wish to eliminate the 2020 preseason in favor of a longer training camp. However, eliminating OTAs in "normal" years may face pushback from the league.