Michael Thomas is a top candidate to be named president of the NFL Players Association, but it’s not the Michael Thomas that New Orleans Saints fans may be thinking of. The 30-year-old safety for the New York Giants made his first Pro Bowl appearance in 2018, and he’s received endorsements from prominent voices including Richard Sherman and Russell Okung.
The NFLPA counts 2,400-plus active players within its membership, with more than 8,700 former players relying on the labor union to negotiate benefits for them in retirement. Former Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Eric Winston has served as NFLPA president since his election back in 2014, replacing Dominique Foxworth; the union president works with executive director DeMaurice Smith to spread information and coordinate votes within the sprawling union membership.