Eagles stars rip NFLPA chaos: “weakest union in sports”

The NFL Player’s Association is the union which represents the players in the league, but at the moment, they’ve got no leader. After a scandal caused president JC Tretter and executive director Lloyd Howell both to resign, the NFLPA is left a mess. And the Philadelphia Eagles players are fed up and calling for reform.

Lane Johnson: NFLPA is a “s*** show”

Eagles stars Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata didn’t hold back when addressing the chaotic state of the NFLPA.

“It’s a s*** show… It’s been that way,” said Johnson, a veteran right tackle and longtime league voice. Mailata added, “Yeah, you can call it how it is. It’s a mess.”

“The main focus is all about the players, right? We need more people right now to get that job done and refocus for the players to feel supported,” said Mailata.

The resignations have left the NFLPA leaderless, with concerns about past lawsuits, conflicts of interest, and questionable financial practices further damaging credibility. This internal turmoil comes at a critical time with NFL owners pushing for an 18-game season and potentially looking to exploit the power vacuum before the next Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is negotiated for 2031 and beyond.

Mailata, who serves as the Eagles’ player representative, acknowledged the need for better communication and education within teams about union matters:

“I think I gotta do a better job of communicating,” said Mailata. “It’s not on [the players]. Yes they should take an interest, but there’s a reason why I’m a player rep. I should be doing a better job of engaging with the guys.”

Even prominent players like Saquon Barkley admitted they’ve been unaware of the unfolding controversy, although he noted it’s now “a conversation that will be coming up at the lunch table.”

Johnson summed up the concern bluntly:

“Right now, I think we have the weakest union in sports.”

The NFLPA now faces a critical juncture - rebuild leadership, restore trust, and prepare players for the next battle with ownership.

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