DeMaurice Smith has been reelected as NFLPA executive director staving off eight other candidates.

It took just one ballot for Smith to gain his third three-year term in charge of the NFL Players Association.

Smith won over former NFL players Jason Belser, Sean Gilbert and Robert Griffith. Also on the ballot were James Acho, Arthur McAfee, Rob London, Andrew Smith and John Stufflebeem.

"As a union, it is your duty to decide who should and will lead," Smith told the board of player reps. Then, apparently referring to what at times became a nasty competition, he added:

"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 ran unopposed in 2012.