JC Tretter on opt-outs: Goal was to give guys options

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Browns center JC Tretter was elected president of the NFL Players Association earlier this year and his tenure began amid a COVID-19 pandemic that has forced both the union and the league to do a lot of work to put protocols in place to deal with the circumstances.

One of those protocols was allowing players the option to opt out of playing this season with their contracts tolling to the 2021 season. Most players can take a $150,000 advance on their 2021 salaries while players at high risk of complications from COVID-19 will receive a $350,000 stipend. Tretter told Mike Florio in a Tuesday interview that players were urged to make sure their medical files included any conditions that would put them in that category.

The deadline for players to make that call is on Thursday afternoon and Tretter said on Wednesday that he hopes all players will weigh their options before making their decision.

“Everyone should at least think about it. Our goal was to give guys options. I’m playing this year. I’ve made my decision,” Tretter said, via Keith Britton of 92.3 The Fan.

Tretter’s thought process included the fact that his wife is pregnant with their first child. He’s staying in a hotel for the time being, but he didn’t waver on his plans for the coming season. He told

Three Browns offensive linemen have made the choice to opt out, but Tretter believes the team will be fine up front despite the loss of that depth.