JC Tretter is calling it a career on his own terms.On Thursday, the former Browns and Packers center and current NFL Players A sociation (NFLPA) president announced that he would be retiring from the NFL after eight seasons."I am proud of what I've accomplished and how far I've come from that night when I made the pledge to myself," Tretter wrote of a letter he wrote to himself at age 20 that outlined his desire to be an NFL player. "I feel like if my 31-year Austin Barnes Jersey -old self could talk to my 20-year-old self, I could earnestly tell him that we did it. We did everything we said we'd do and more."On to the next chapter JC Tretter (@JCTretter) Tretter played in 111 games and made 90 starts during his career after being a fourth-round pick by the Packers in 2013. He started 82 of 83 po sible games for the Browns over his last five seasons; his only mi sed outing came because of a positive COVID-19 test last season.MORE: Tretter consistently was rated highly among and ranked sixth of 39 players at the position in 2021. Despite his strong Matt Kemp Jersey performance, he never was selected as an AP All-Pro and was never voted to a Pro Bowl.Tretter has served as the NFLPA president since taking over the role from Eric Winston on March 10, 2020. In that time, Tretter has guided the players through CBA negotiations and several negotiations involving the NFL's COVID-related health and safety protocols.Tretter hasn't been afraid to speak his mind in that role and was recently at the Bears Stadium, Soldier Field. That type of player safety advocacy has naturally endeared him to the players, who unanimously re-elected him as the NFLPA president in March of 2022.Evidently, he hasn't found as much support in other segments of the league.MORE: As Tretter revealed in a recent interview with , teams never really showed an interest in him after the Browns released him during the 2022 NFL offseason. He and his agent reached out to seven teams including the Panthers, Cowboys and Vikings but none displayed any interest.That may have been because of Tretter's work as the NFLPA president, which his agent Pedro Baez Jersey pointed out in a phone call with the center."I got a call in mid June," Tretter told Sports Illustrated, "and it was like, 'I didnt realize how many people you pi sed off.'"MORE: It's not just Tretter's agent that has noticed this. Tretter's former teammate, Joel Bitonio, was asked for his thoughts about Blake Treinen Jersey Tretter's unsigned status during training camp. He hinted that Tretter may have been blackballed a bit because of his work as NFLPA president.When you have a guy thats top-five, top-10 at center in the league and hes not on a roster, and he's the NFLPA president, and maybe some owners don't appreciate what he brings to the table on certain topics where he is trying to protect player safety and things of that nature, it seems a little suspicious to me.Bitonio went on to say that he didn't know what was happening behind closed doors, but continued to say the situation didn't sit well with him. Joel Bitonio suspects that his close friend JC Tretter might not have an team yet b/c of his stance on player safety i sues, etc Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) Though Tretter also has his suspicions about the reasons he remained unsigned, he doesn't appear willing to hold a grudge."I took the NFLPA job knowing the risks," Tretter told Sports Illustrated. "I think thats the price of leadership."Instead, he will shift his main focus to his work with the NFLPA as he transitions to life off the field."I Alex Wood Jersey 'm looking forward to doubling down on my work as NFLPA president and pushing for more progre s on behalf of the great players of our game, past, present, and future."