If the NFL Players Association’s annual team report card, which is voted on by the gamers from every franchise, is any indication, taking part in for Cincinnati Bengals’ proprietor Mike Brown is only some steps divorced from suiting up for fictional Cleveland MLB proprietor Rachel Phelps — full with non-working showers.
The report playing cards, which had been launched in the present day, are “to improve the overall working conditions for our players, which includes the daily experience of players at the team facilities away from the lights and cameras,” in keeping with the NFLPA.
Moreover, the org says:
“1,300 of our players provided information to share with one another about their current club, to not only help them make important career decisions, but also help raise standards across the league.
Our goals were to highlight positive clubs, identify areas that could use improvement, and highlight best practices and standards.”
And whereas we not often hear gamers communicate out about the place their staff is falling woefully quick in public, the NFLPA report card is complied anonymously, giving us a glimpse into what life is like for gamers once they aren’t on nationwide tv — at follow services through the week, within the locker room on recreation day, and even once they spend time with their households.
So who has it the worst within the NFL? Let’s have a look.
Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
When you’ve been listening to the information, that the Chiefs are planning on a full-scale renovation of Arrowhead Stadium — which might’t come quickly sufficient so far as the gamers are involved. Simply in the present day, KC debuted renderings of what the renovations would appear to be, and it’s arduous to think about the group didn’t scramble to place this stuff out on the identical day its gamers ranked their working circumstances thirty first within the NFL.
This part from the report card nearly sums it up:
“Though the players received actual chairs with backs to sit in at their lockers in response to last year’s feedback, it did not change the fact that the locker room is overdue for a renovation. What adds to the frustration is that management told the players that renovations would come after the 2022 season. The players went on to win the Super Bowl and when they arrived back at their facility for the 2023-2024 season, they realized the team never followed through with the promised renovation (other than adding chairs).”
Kansas Metropolis received back-to-back Tremendous Bowls and but administration by no means delivered on guarantees that gamers would get a good locker room. The staff additionally has main points with its dietician, who reportedly is never current on the facility. She was bestowed the respect of the second-lowest score within the league. Think about having to return to work tomorrow after figuring out your efforts value worthy of an “F” out of your colleagues. The Chiefs gamers additionally really feel that every little thing — from their locker room to the burden room to their coaching room — is just too small, and that virtually every little thing is understaffed.
It’s additionally value noting that, on a Tremendous Bowl-winning staff the place the phrase “dynasty” is being tossed round, “only 43% of players feel like they receive enough one-on-one treatment (32nd overall), the players feel that the training staff only slightly contribute to their success (the Chiefs trainers received the lowest score across the league in this category), and a number of players feel like the staff is not willing to provide support/treatment to all players.”
We are going to now hear from all of the speaking heads who blamed Taylor Swift for the Chiefs’ losses this season: (*crickets*).
Oh, and proprietor Clark Hunt obtained the bottom score within the league — an F-.
Cincinnati Bengals
In Cincinnati’s locker room, “Approximately 50% of the showers don’t work; they either don’t provide warm water or there isn’t enough water pressure. They face consistent plumbing issues that limit the amount of functioning toilets the players can use.” And we could have lastly gotten to the underside of Joe Burrow’s struggles. Think about taking part in an NFL recreation, heading to the locker room, and never even figuring out if there might be sufficient working bogs for everybody. Additionally, Bengals gamers suppose the meals within the cafeteria stinks, giving it an “F-” and rating it thirtieth within the league in meals style and thirty first in freshness. The problems with the meals solely appear to make the non-working bogs extra of an issue, no?
The Bengals additionally solely present the gamers three meals a day on Wednesdays, whereas most groups do it all through the week, and are the one staff within the league that doesn’t make use of a full-time dietician. The dietician the Bengals do have gotten an “F-.” Ouch.
Pittsburgh Steelers
For the Steelers, F is for household — as in an F- for the therapy of family members. Pittsburgh is certainly one of solely 4 groups within the league that doesn’t supply both a household room or daycare throughout video games. The gamers additionally hate their locker room, score it an “F” for being too tiny and for its lockers additionally being too small. Gamers additionally aren’t thrilled with the coaching room, which they rated a “D+” for not having sufficient trainers, bodily therapists, or sauna house, that means they, in contrast to most different NFL groups, don’t have a sauna. Steelers additionally suppose they’re getting a foul deal on journey, and so they gave proprietor Artwork Rooney an “F” for his “willingness to invest in the facilities.” No kidding.
New England Patriots
Patriots players aren’t loopy about the best way the staff treats their households. New England is certainly one of seven groups that doesn’t present daycare assist for gamers’ children on recreation day, and certainly one of 12 groups that doesn’t present a household room throughout video games, which sounds fairly tough with babies in the course of winter in New England. Gamers additionally actually hate their weight room, which they rated an “F,” making the Pats the one staff within the league with a majority of gamers who may discover higher exercise services off-site. Additionally they gave Invoice Belichick a B-, saying he was not often keen to hearken to the locker room. If something about Invoice Belichick, that’s an ideal rating! The actual fact Belichick was keen to hearken to gamers in any respect is sort of stunning. Robert Kraft will get a “D+.”
Washington Commanders
This one looks as if a no brainer, however who would have thought the Chiefs can be kicking off this checklist? Nonetheless, if I gave you this line from the report: “When asked what the number one issue respondents want to prioritize for fixing, most players couldn’t come up with just one,” you’ll instantly know that assertion was about the Commanders. Like The Highlander, there might be just one.
Shock! Washington is a type of few groups that doesn’t present a household room or daycare, which is smart — Dan Snyder doesn’t precisely give off “family first” vibes. The cafeteria meals is seemingly an issue, however once you’re concerned in all types of scandals, who has time to consider grub?
And the Commanders gamers, like many NFL execs taking part in in an older stadium, they really feel the locker room is just too small, too cramped, and in want of an improve. However right here’s the cash line: “Players also mention issues with cleanliness, citing multiple sewage leaks this season.” Uh, is that higher or worse than non-working bogs? It feels worse, although I supposed it’s all a matter of desire. Would you moderately not have a spot to go in any respect or have uncooked sewage on the ground? Who’s to say?
The Commanders additionally hate their coaching room, their coaching workers, and their journey preparations, giving all three “Fs” throughout the board. They gave former head coach Ron Rivera a “C,” saying he was considerably keen to hearken to the locker room, and new membership proprietor Josh Harris a stable “B.” That’s one thing!
Anybody who performs for Josh McDaniels
The Raiders’ players appear comparatively proud of their working circumstances, score their staff ninth total. However whereas most different groups gave their coaches nothing decrease than a “B-” — aside from the Commanders, who gave Ron Rivera a “C” — Las Vegas gamers gave former head coach Josh McDaniels an enormous, fats “D,” — the bottom rating within the league. They stated that McDaniels wasted their time and ranked him “least likely to listen to his locker room of any NFL head coach.” We like to see it.
