DeMaurice Smith is here to stay.
The NFL Players Association announced Smith was awarded his third term as executive director after beating out eight candidates in an election held by the union Sunday night in Maui, Hawaii. Smith got the majority needed for re-election in the first round of voting, according to NFL Media's Albert Breer.
Smith has served as the executive director since being unanimously elected in 2009; he ran unopposed three years ago. Smith replaced Gene Upshaw, who was executive director for 25 years until he died in August 2008. Smith was instrumental in negotiating the CBA that ended the 2011 NFL lockout.
Smith went up against eight candidates, including former NFL players Sean Gilbert, Robert Griffith and Jason Belser. Other challengers included Rob London, once considered for the Raiders' general manager position, Arthur McAfee, who spent 17 years as staff counsel for the NFLPA, John Stufflebeem, a former vice admiral and director of Navy staff, and attorneys James Acho and Andrew Smith.
Each of the candidates had to be nominated by at least three of the 32 player representatives. Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Eric Winston is the NFLPA player president.