DeMaurice Smith Elected to Lead NFLPA

Nearly six months after losing Gene Upshaw to pancreatic cancer, the National Football League Players' Association (NFLPA) has a new executive director. DeMaurice Smith, a Washington, DC attorney, was elected to succeed Upshaw Sunday night.

Smith was elected by a vote behind closed doors at the posh Fairmont Kea Lani resort where the union has been meeting. The players reps heard from the four candidates Saturday and once again Sunday, with the candidates providing their closing arguments before the voting began by secret ballot.

Smith becomes the fourth executive director in the NFLPA's 41-year history. He previously was a trial lawyer and litigation partner at Patton Boggs where he "concentrate[d] in white-collar criminal defense and 'bet the company' tort liability trials."

According to SI.com's Don Banks -- who called the six-month process "long and often contentious" -- Smith "has no significant previous NFL ties," and adds that two of the presumed favorites, Trace Armstrong and Troy Vincent, were informed of Smith's election late Sunday night.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

3-16-2009 @ 7:25AM

A.J. said...

I understand that NFLPA wants a good negotiator to be at their helm, but I still think that they would have been better served with someone who has played in the NFL and knows about the everyday life for an NFL player. I'm of the mind that the NFL should be run by former players who know the 'spirit of the law', so to speak, as well as the 'letter of the law'. If that were the case, we wouldn't be having these ridiculous fines getting handed down for good, clean hits and conservative, well-intentioned touchdown celebrations. I think NFLPA is making a big mistake by picking this guy over someone like Troy Vincent. But that's just one guy's opinion.

5-25-2009 @ 11:49PM

ALONZO MITZ said...

we need some who love and respect the game but at the same time have the selfishness of protecting were he came from . who in turn have respect for the present and past plyers and undrerstnad their pain. love and respect always Alonzo Mitz