The NFLPA underwent some change yesterday, with Detroit Lions linebacker Jaylen Reeves-Maybin replacing J.C. Tretter as president. However, the NFLPA also added four new members to its executive committee, one of which is Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward. Pro Football Talk passed along the news.
According to the NFLPA, “the Executive Committee manages and transacts the business and affairs of the NFLPA between meetings of the Board of Player Representatives.” Heyward was newly elected, and Alex Mack, Jason McCourty, and Richard Sherman exited the committee. The other new members, along with Heyward, are New York Jets long snapper Thomas Hennessy, who also serves as NFLPA treasurer, 49ers linebacker Oren Burks, and Houston Texans quarterback Case Keenum. They join six others to make up the 10-man executive committee.
It’s a cool honor for Heyward, who is Pittsburgh’s player representative on the NFLPA. He also won the NFLPA Community MVP award earlier this season for the money he raised for his work during Cam’s Kindness Week through his Heyward House Foundation.
With Heyward now a member of the executive committee, he’ll have more of a voice and can be more influential in helping enact changes within the NFLPA. Heyward will serve a two-year term as a member of the executive committee, and all executive committee members hold the title of VP.
It’s a period of change in the NFLPA, as a new Executive Director, Lloyd Howell, was elected last July. Reeves-Maybin replaced Tretter, who had held the President role since 2020 and played a big role in negotiating the new 10-year CBA and made an effort for players to have more of a say. That’s led to the NFLPA Team Report Cards, and the latest one did not paint the Steelers organization in a positive light.
Heyward will now work with Reeves-Maybin and other members of the executive committee to continue some of the things started by Tretter while also working on new initiatives that will make things better for players around the league.
