Not much is known with respect to the details of the NFLPA’s search for a new executive director, but it will soon come to a conclusion. CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports that a vote on the matter will take place this week and that the position could be filled as early as Tuesday.
DeMaurice Smith is in his final term at the helm of the player’s association, following a narrow re-election in 2021. The 59-year-old was widely thought to be on his way out shortly thereafter, however, leading to the belief that a new leader would be elected in short order.
The NFLPA opened its search process for Smith’s successor in October, with the expectation that one would be voted on sometime in 2023 (despite Smith’s term running through 2025, if he had preferred to remain in place that long). As a result, the union will soon have a new leader for the first time since 2009, when Smith took over from Gene Upshaw.
The search process has been shrouded in secrecy, however, and Jones notes that the identity of the three finalists being voted on remains unknown. Few updates have emerged in recent months with respect to candidates vying for the top position, though the most public in that regard has been Matt Shaub. The former Texans and Falcons quarterback has detailed his aspirations to lead the union and the issues he would prioritize if elected, including long-term player healthcare and revenue sharing between owners and players.
The list of finalists was put together by the union’s executive committee (led by president J.C. Tretter, who has been named as a potential candidate to succeed Smith) and a select few player representatives. A general vote of all reps will determine the executive director. The current CBA is in place through 2031, so plenty of time remains between the upcoming election and the point at which negotiations on a new labor agreement will take place.
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