NFLPA president and former Cleveland Browns center JC Tretter announced his retirement Thursday after nine NFL seasons.
A fourth-round pick by Green Bay in 2013, Tretter’s career got off to an injury-plagued start as he missed his entire rookie season and a chunk of his second. But after four years with the Packers, he morphed into a stalwart pivot in Cleveland.
Tretter started 80 games for the Browns the past five seasons, missing only one tilt in 2021, and was a rock on one of the best lines in the NFL the past few seasons.
The center was elected NFLPA president in 2020 and won re-election in 2022. While he steps away from the game on the field, Tretter noted he plans to “double down” on his work as a fierce advocate for players.
With several teams needing veteran center help -- i.e. Tampa Bay, San Francisco -- Tretter’s name was often brought up as a free agent possibility. The 31-year-old’s retirement wipes out that option.