On the latest NFL Players: Second Acts podcast, Peanut Tillman and Roman Harper sit down with JC Tretter for a wide‑ranging conversation about football, leadership, and the second act that led him to become Executive Director of the NFLPA. Tretter reflects on his unlikely path — getting recruited to Cornell off basketball tape, breaking his rookie year, earning his welcome‑to‑the‑league moments blocking Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews, and finding his footing in Green Bay before experiencing the extremes of going from Packers playoff runs to Cleveland’s 0–16 season.

He shares stories from his time in both cities, and retiring on his own terms after becoming NFLPA president in his seventh season. Tretter breaks down why players need to think about life after football early, how he found his passion for labor relations in college, and how he approaches leading the union today — from player trust to mental health, grass vs. turf, team report cards, and the conversations around a 17th game.

A smart, grounded look at leadership, advocacy, and life after football.

The NFL Players: Second Acts podcast is a production of the NFL in partnership with iHeart Media.