When JC Tretter took his first walk through the Browns headquarters before the start of training camp, he felt safe.
Nearly every level of the building has undergone a transformation to safely accommodate players among the COVID-19 pandemic. The weight room is now a spacious locker room, and weights and machines were moved to the field house. The upper floors of the facility, previously reserved for front office workers, now contain an assemblage of temporary walls for players to have socially distant meetings. There are numerous temperature checkpoints throughout the building, and masks are required for anyone inside and not in a personal office.
For Tretter, who is also the president of the NFL Players Association, the safety measures were significant. His wife is pregnant with their first child, so Tretter spoke with medical experts as he carefully weighed whether it was safe for him to play.
When he saw what the Browns have done to revamp their facility, he was in.
"The Browns have done a really great job," Tretter said Wednesday in a Zoom call with local reporters. "Walking through the facility, it's like a new building. They've done everything you could possibly think of. Walking through there, there's nothing I can look at and think 'Well, maybe they could've done this.'"
Tretter, however, has been hard at work with the NFLPA to make sure every player in the league can feel the same way he does. Over the last month, he has helped the NFLPA reach agreements with the league about the safety protocols each team must follow and enforce. Each team is under the same workout schedule — teams are currently only allowed to undergo a 60-minute weight room period and a 60-minute conditioning period outdoors — and will be allowed to conduct full team practices Aug. 14.
Check out photos of the team working out Tuesday
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Safety Elijah Benton (48) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (11) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Defensive tackle Eli Ankou (91) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Fullback Johnny Stanton (43) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Center JC Tretter (64) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Fullback Johnny Stanton (43) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Wide receiver Rashard Higgins (82) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Center JC Tretter (64) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Defensive end Chad Thomas (92) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Safety Sheldrick Redwine (29) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Cornerback Kevin Johnson (28) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Defensive end Adrian Clayborn (94) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Tight end David Njoku (85) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Running Back Kareem Hunt (27) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Offensive tackle Chris Hubbard (74) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale (96) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Tight end Harrison Bryant (88) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Tight end David Njoku (85) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Wide receiver JoJo Natson (19) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Punter Jamie Gillan (7) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Wide receiver D.J. Montgomery (15) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Offensive tackle Chris Hubbard (74) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Safety Jovante Moffatt (35) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Kicker Austin Seibert (4) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (65) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Fullback Andy Janovich (31) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (90) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Linebacker Jacob Phillips (50) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Pat Rock during workouts on August 4, 2020
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Tight end Austin Hooper (81) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Linebacker Willie Harvey (56) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Long snapper Charley Hughlett (47) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Running Back Nick Chubb (24) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Linebacker Sione Takitaki (44) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Center Nick Harris (53) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Running Back Nick Chubb (24) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge (12) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Kicker Austin Seibert (4) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Running Back Nick Chubb (24) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Safety Andrew Sendejo (23) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Defensive end Porter Gustin (97) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Long snapper Charley Hughlett (47) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Quarterback Case Keenum (5) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Linebacker Tae Davis (55) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Safety Andrew Sendejo (23) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Defensive tackle Jeffery Whatley (69) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Defensive tackle Jeffery Whatley (69) during workouts on August 4, 2020
Daily testing is ongoing until the 14th day of each team's training camp and will move to testing every other day if a team's rate of positive tests fall below a certain level, but Tretter said he has advocated for a continuation of daily tests for all teams moving forward.
Tretter, of course, has been busy. He feels safe in Cleveland, but it's also his job to make sure players feel safe in each NFL city.
"I think my main goal is protecting the players," he said. "When you take on this job, that's your responsibility. You're protecting all the players within the league. When you take on the job as your player rep for your team, your job is to protect all of the guys in your locker room. When you take on the presidency, your job is to protect the players in all locker rooms."
Players have until Thursday to opt out and forego the season for any safety concerns. That, too, was something Tretter advocated for in initial talks with the league about what decisions players will have, and several players have elected to take that route.
"Our goal was to give guys options," Tretter said. "I think everybody has their own unique circumstances and needs to sort through and gather more information, and then they just make the decision that they feel most comfortable with."
Tretter believes things will stay smooth as long as players continue to follow protocols in and out of team facilities. Football is a team sport, and the entire league must work together as one massive team to keep everyone safe.
Tretter's guidance has helped make that possible. He believes the protocols have worked well in Cleveland, and he'll continue working diligently to ensure the same safety standards are kept across the league.
"I think the protocols are working," he said. "I think everybody's realized that it's different. What we do at the facility is different, and we have to make sure guys continue to buy in and understand this is for the best."
