Kalyn KahlerJul 20, 2025, 06:53 PM ET
- Kalyn Kahler is a senior NFL writer at ESPN. Kalyn reports on a range of NFL topics. She reported about the influence of coaching agents on NFL hiring and found out what current and former Cowboys players really think about the tour groups of fans that roam about The Star every day. Before joining ESPN in July of 2024, Kalyn wrote for The Athletic, Defector, Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated. She began her career at Sports Illustrated as NFL columnist Peter King's assistant. She is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she was a varsity cheerleader. In her free time, Kalyn takes Spanish classes and teaches Irish dance. You can reach out to Kalyn via email.
NFLPA chief strategy officer J.C. Tretter has resigned from his position and withdrawn himself from consideration for the NFLPA's interim executive director position.
"Over the last couple days, it has gotten very, very hard for my family. And that's something I can't deal with," Tretter told CBS Sports. "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, 34, had been in the role since October of 2024. He was the player president from 2020 to 2024, and reportedly was a candidate to serve as the interim executive director following Lloyd Howell's resignation Thursday night.
Several former NFL players reacted to Tretter's candidacy with public criticism on social media.
"We've gotta be the dumbest Union in all of sports," former linebacker Will Compton posted on X. "Ya -- let's vote for the guy who was in charge of hiring Lloyd Howell. Lets vote for the guy who swept a lot of s--- under the rug when NFL owners were colluding to not give out guaranteed contracts. The NFLPA is constantly outmatched and it's truly our own doing"
"They would be wise to remove Tretter as well," posted former player and NFLPA executive committee member Ben Watson.
Tretter was the NFLPA's player president in 2023 when Howell was elected as the union's executive director. He presided over a vote that changed the NFLPA's constitution to make the search and election process more confidential. Tretter led the 16-month long search process that resulted in Howell, whose leadership had come under question in recent weeks following reports from the "Pablo Torre Finds Out" podcast and ESPN.
In 2022, the NFLPA sued the owners alleging they were colluding to prevent guaranteed contracts. In 2023, the NFL sued the union over comments Tretter made suggesting that running backs who were unhappy with their contracts could fake injuries -- a violation of the CBA. Both grievances were decided this year, and both decisions were not shared publicly by either the NFL or the NFLPA. ESPN reported that the NFLPA and the NFL had a confidentiality agreement for the collusion grievance that hid the information within the 61-page decision.
In an interview with CBS Sports, Tretter denied having access to the collusion grievance or being involved in the agreement struck by NFLPA with the NFL to keep those findings confidential to a select group of executives.
A source with knowledge of the situation told ESPN that the NFLPA's board of player representatives will meet Sunday night to discuss candidates for interim director. NFLPA chief player officer Don Davis, executive director of the NFLPA trust Zamir Cobb, and NFLPA associate general counsel Ned Ehrlich are among the candidates who will be discussed.
The board of representatives also will discuss the selection process for the next executive director -- whether the executive committee will lead that process or the interim director.
