N-O alum helps Browns end playoff drought

Contributed Photo – JC Tretter

The Niagara-Orleans League was well represented in Sunday night’s NFL wildcard game which saw Cleveland upset the host Pittsburgh Steelers 48-37 as Akron High graduate JC Tretter anchored the Browns offensive line from his center position.

Tretter threw key blocks on two of Cleveland’s early turnover aided touchdowns as the Browns roared out to big leads of 28-0 after one quarter and 35-7 at the half in route to ending a 25 year playoff victory drought.

His Browns will next visit the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional playoff round next weekend.

Tretter, a Cornell University grad, was drafted in the fourth round by Green Bay in 2013 and played with the Packers through the 2016 season. He came to Cleveland as a free agent in 2017 and has been a mainstay on the Browns offensive line ever since.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Here JC Tretter goes up against Medina’s Levi Pace during the 2008-09 season which saw the Tigers and Mustangs share the N-O title at 13-1.

This past year Tretter was elected President of the NFL Players Association, a position he certainly has the background for having earned a degree in Industrial Labor Relations from Cornell

A quarterback during his scholastic days at Akron, he played tight end during his first two years at Cornell before switching to offensive tackle for his final two seasons with the Big Red.

He was a first team All-Ivy League and third team All America honoree his senior season at Cornell in 2012.

In addition to being a star quarterback at Akron, Tretter was also a three time first team N-O All-League honoree in basketball. During his senior season (2008-09) he helped lead Akron to a N-O League co-championship with Medina and the Section VI Class B2 championship.