This week, the longtime general counsel of the National Football League Players Association, Richard Berthelsen, announced his retirement from the players’ union. His last day as GC is May 15—his 40th anniversary with the NFLPA—after which he will move into a consulting role.

Berthelsen announced his retirement at the organization’s annual meeting of players and representatives, telling the assembled football professionals:

Building the game, to me, means making it better for players. Over the years, there have been so many that have stepped forward to do that. You here in this room have stepped forward as leaders to build this game. I hope you have Hall of Fame careers, all of you, but I’m going to remember you as the men who built this game. This has been an incredible, unbelievable experience.

The departing GC joined the NFLPA in 1972, as a full-time legal counsel and principal assistant, and was promoted to the top spot in the law department in 1983.

According to a statement from the NFLPA, Berthelsen was a pivotal figure in the business of professional football over the course of four decades:

During his 40 years with the organization, Berthelsen has helped protect and defend the rights of players throughout the NFL. He was directly involved in drafting and negotiating the 1977, 1982, 1993 and 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreements between the NFLPA and the NFL, and extensions of the CBA in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2006. . .

Berthelsen has represented the NFLPA and NFL players in hundreds of grievance arbitrations and served as the Director of the NFLPA Legal Department, supervising an 11-person legal staff. He was also responsible for establishing the NFLPA’s Agent Regulation System as well as the network of NFLPA Workers Compensation Panel of Attorneys in NFL team cities. In addition to his work as principal NFLPA advisor to players and agents for individual contract negotiations with NFL clubs, Berthelsen has overseen the work of the NFLPA’s Salary Cap & Agent Administration and the Financial Programs and Advisor Administration departments.

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