CSN Bay Area

DeMaurice Smith was re-elected as NFL Players Association Executive Director to a three-year term on the first ballot.

NFLPA Player Representatives acting on behalf of the 32 NFL teams selected Smith late Sunday night during a meeting in Maui, Hawaii.

“I am proud to represent the best athletes in the world,” Smith said in a statement released through the NFL Players Association. “There will always be those who will sacrifice their dignity in a race to the bottom so that they can climb over others to get to the top. I will not join them, and no human should.”

Smith was selected from among eight other finalists for the position, including James Acho, Jason Belser, Sean Gilbert, Robert Griffith, Arthur McAfee, Rob London, Andrew Smith, and John Stufflebeem.

The finalists were given the opportunity to speak directly to the more than 80 player pepresentatives, co-alternates and executive committee members in attendance during 40-minute long presentations on Saturday.

The 49ers player representative is Eric Reid with co-alternates Bruce Miller and Alex Boone. Usama Young is the Raiders player rep with Matt Schaub and Antonio Smith acting as co-alternates.

The candidates then met with players in smaller break-out sessions this morning and presented closing arguments to the entire board before the official election took place in the early evening.

Smith was first elected to the position in 2009 to succeed the late Gene Upshaw. He represented the players during the NFL lockout of 2011 and the negotiations for the new collective bargaining agreement that was enacted during the summer of that year. Smith was unanimously re-elected to the post in 2012.

“The Board of Player Representatives made a decision today after two comprehensive days of deliberation and careful consideration of all candidates,” NFLPA President Eric Winston said. “We look forward to continue working with DeMaurice Smith to make our union stronger.”