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Michael Thomas is a top candidate to be named president of the NFL Players Association, but it’s not the Michael Thomas that New Orleans Saints fans may be thinking of. The 30-year-old safety for the New York Giants made his first Pro Bowl appearance in 2018, and he’s received endorsements from prominent voices including Richard Sherman and Russell Okung.
The NFLPA counts 2,400-plus active players within its membership, with more than 8,700 former players relying on the labor union to negotiate benefits for them in retirement. Former Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Eric Winston has served as NFLPA president since his election back in 2014, replacing Dominique Foxworth; the union president works with executive director DeMaurice Smith to spread information and coordinate votes within the sprawling union membership.
Thomas has been nominated against three other candidates, including Okung, who withdrew his candidacy and stumped for Thomas. The remaining two options are Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Sam Acho and Cleveland Browns center JC Tretter. If Thomas wins, expect some light confusion among fans mistaking him for the 27-year-old Saints wide receiver.
However, there shouldn’t be any immediate impacts on the in-progress NFLPA membership vote on a new collective bargaining agreement. The union’s board of representatives agreed to extend the voting deadline to 11:59 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 14, giving all players opportunity to make an educated decision before casting their ballot. Whether it’s Thomas, Acho, or Tretter in the president role, they’ll be charged with managing the transition to a new era should the CBA be ratified.
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