J.C. Tretter net worth: How much did ex-NFL star earn in salary and contract?

Veteran center J.C. Tretter announced his retirement from the NFL on Thursday morning. Tretter was a free agent after spending nine years playing in the NFL. The 31 year old was selected out of Cornell in the fourth round of the 2013 draft by the Green Bay Packers. He played four seasons with the Packers and then five seasons with the Cleveland Browns.

He announced his retirement in a letter posted to his Twitter page on Thursday. He thanked his family for their support and said that he is choosing to retire on his own terms. This was something that he had promised himself he would do. He now plans to continue his role as NFLPA president in the hope of changing the game for the better.

J.C. Tretter career earnings

During his NFL career, J.C. Tretter signed three contracts. The first was his initial contract with the Green Bay Packers after being drafted. This was a four-year deal worth $2.57 million along with a signing bonus of $415,908.

He became a free agent after his contract with the Packers expired. Tretter then signed a three-year deal with the Cleveland Browns, that deal was worth $16.75 million and there was also a signing bonus of $4.5 million.

He then re-signed with the Browns in 2019, this time on a three-year deal worth $32.5 million. This should have kept him with the team throughout the 2022 NFL season. But this spring, the Browns decided to part ways with their center, making him a free agent.

Why did J.C. Tretter retire from the NFL?

J.C. Tretter's retirement announcement came as a shock to many. With many teams looking for additional offensive line help, he seemed likely to be picked up by a franchise. In an interview with Sports Interactive, he said that it his role as NFLPA President cost him the remainder of his playing career.

He said that while he did have some knee issues last season, no team seemed concerned or asked questions about his fitness.

“Guys would be like, ‘Oh, like how are your knees doing? And I always said, ‘My NFLPA job is gonna end my career well before my knees end my career.’”

Tretter believes that due to being outspoken about player safety during his time as NFLPA President, he was essentially seen as a risk:

“I got a call in mid-June, and it was like, ‘I didn’t realize how many people you pissed off..." I would argue I’m going to accomplish more in the next 18 months than I would have ever gotten close to playing football during that time."

He will now use the Bachelor's Degree he earned from Cornell University to help relieve tension in the NFLPA's relationship with the league.

If you use any of the above quotes, please H/T Sports Illustrated and H/T Sportskeeda.