Last year, when running backs were raising their voices for better contracts, former NFL Players Association president J.C. Tretter stirred up quite the hornet’s nest with an eyebrow-raising recommendation: fake injuries as a leverage tactic. Yes, you read that right.
Running Backs in the Spotlight
So, how did the NFL respond? By filing a grievance, of course. According to a source with inside knowledge, that grievance is slated for a hearing later this month before an arbitrator. Buckle up, folks, because this rollercoaster isn’t stopping anytime soon.
In a sizzling July episode of Ross Tucker’s podcast, Tretter didn’t hold back about the struggles of running backs to get their due. “You need to try to create as much leverage as you possibly can. And that’s the tough thing with the franchise tag, or being restricted in movement, it decreases your leverage,” he stated. Tretter’s candid tone was like a bolt of electricity, suggesting that players needed to find creative ways to build leverage away from the field.
A Controversial Suggestion
Tretter continued, dropping a bombshell that had the football world buzzing like a beehive. “I think we’ve seen issues — now, I don’t think anybody would say they were fake injuries,” he remarked. “But we’ve seen players who didn’t want to be where they currently are, have injuries that made them unable to practice and play. You’re not able to get fined, and you’re not able to be punished for not reporting.”
He added, “So there are issues like that. I don’t think I’m allowed to ever recommend that, at least publicly, but I think each player needs to find a way to build up leverage to try to get a fair deal. And that’s really what all these guys are looking for, is to be compensated fairly.”
The Fallout
Cue the fireworks! We said this in response to Tretter’s unfiltered commentary: “Despite the accuracy of his remarks, it’s not something he should have said. His words could be used against him, against the union, or against specific players if/when a grievance or some other proceeding arises.”
And boy, did it arise! The NFL went ahead and filed a grievance against the union. But what’s the real outcome here? An order for the union to stop saying what everyone already knows? It doesn’t need to be said, especially not publicly. With most agents aware that embellished, exaggerated, or fabricated injuries are tools in the negotiation toolkit, it was a faux pas of epic proportions for Tretter to voice it.
What Lies Ahead?
The league might end up with a document reprimanding the union. Big whoop, right? The writing was on the wall already, but Tretter’s public declaration was like pouring gasoline on a smoldering fire.
In any case, the drama doesn’t end here. As fans, we’re perched on the edge of our seats, watching this saga unfold with all the intensity of a goal-line stand in the final seconds of the Super Bowl.
Football isn’t just a game; it’s a battlefield of wits, strategies, and sometimes, words. So here we are, strapping in for another round of gridiron theatrics. Will this grievance change the landscape of player negotiations? Only time will tell. Hooray, indeed!
