Next March, former NFL player Sean Gilbert will challenge incumbent DeMaurice Smith for the position of NFLPA executive director. In many respects, the election is being determined now, as each team picks the player representatives who eventually will vote on the next executive director.
One of the most important votes for the challenger came in New England, where Gilbert’s nephew, Darrelle Revis, ran for the position of NFLPA representative. Via the NFLPA, Revis lost to special-teamer Matthew Slater.
Revis was named an alternate, along with offensive lineman Ryan Wendell and kicker Stephen Gostkowski. So there’s a chance Revis will hold the vote come March. For now, though, Slater will be the one to cast the ballot.
It’s possible Revis will persuade Slater to vote for Uncle Sean. It’s also possible Revis will persuade other representatives on other teams to do the same.
And it’s likely that, if Gilbert wins, Revis will be the player in whose name the top-secret-but-supposedly-hiding-in-plain-sight collusion claim aimed at blowing up the current labor deal will be made.
For now, though, it likely remains an uphill battle for Gilbert to unseat Smith. Especially since Gilbert’s nephew isn’t holding one of the votes.
