The NFL might seem like entertainment for those watching at home or at a bar, but it’s a workplace to the players. And, like any industry, some league workplaces are better and some are worse.
The NFL Players Association this week released report cards on all 32 NFL teams, with 1,300 players providing feedback about clubs’ facilities. Grades were based on treatment of families, nutrition, weight room, strength staff, training room, training staff, locker room and travel.
Some teams received glowing reviews across the board. The Vikings, for instance, had no lower than an A-minus in any individual category. Others were panned. The Commanders received four F graders, three of which were F-minus.
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Which teams came out the best from the survey, and which teams turned out the worst? Here’s what you need to know.
Best teams
Vikings
The Vikings were described as a “shining example of what is possible when a concerted investment is made in both staffing and its facilities.” Everything in the report card is a highlight. Every player surveyed believes owner Zygi Wilf will spend to upgrade the facility, and strength coaches, training room, training staff and locker room all received A-plus grades.
Players have individual strength plans and everyone believes there is enough room in the stream room, sauna, locker room and cafeteria. Players graded the food quality as ninth-best and noted that the team has a family room and provides daycare.
One of the players’ biggest issues was with former head trainer Eric Sugarman, who left the team in March 2022. The new staff has been a “welcome change.” Ninety-five percent of players say there are enough athletic trainers, 92 percent feel there are enough physical therapists, and 98 percent feel there are enough strength coaches.
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Dolphins
Like the Vikings, the Dolphins received positive grades across the board. Miami was tied for first in food service, weight room, strength coaches, training room, training staff and locker room. Owner Stephen Ross received a vote of confidence from players, with 97 percent saying they believe he’s willing to invest in the facilities, which was the eighth-highest for all owners.
Players said they have one of the best weight rooms in the NFL, with 94 percent believing they have enough strength coaches and 97 percent saying they receive individual plans from the staff. The training room received plenty of praise, with all players feeling there is enough space in the steam room, sauna, hot tub and cold tub. Ninety-seven percent of players say there is enough space in the locker rooms and 87 percent have enough room to spread out while traveling.
The lone blemish was the treatment of families, where Dolphins ranked tied for 18th. While there is a family room and daycare, some players with larger families feel restricted by the team giving out only limited passes to family members in the postgame area.
Raiders
It’s always a good sign for a team if other teams’ players are saying they would like to “make the facilities more like Vegas.” The weight room, strength coaches, locker room and team travel all graded as tied for best among teams, and all but two categories ranked in the top five.
The locker room was described by players as one of the league’s best and an enviable one, with all Vegas players feeling like they have enough space. All of the players feel they have enough strength coaches, 98 percent have an individual strength plan, 93 percent feel there are enough athletic trainers and 88 percent feel there are enough physical therapists.Travel also received an A-plus, with 98 percent of players saying they have enough room to spread out and noting that there are plenty of first-class seats.
Not everything was perfect. Players feel coach Josh McDaniels is less likely to listen to players and that he keeps them longer than other coaches. And while 90 percent of players believe owner Mark Davis will be willing to invest in improving the facilities, that ranked just 20th among owners. The training staff received positive reviews, but with a B-plus grade, it was tied for 22nd.
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Texans
The Texans received positive grades across the board, but travel received the highest one. Veteran players can stay at home instead of a hotel when playing home games, and there is a lot of room for players on the road, which added up to the team tying for first in travel. Ninety-seven percent of the team felt the McNair family would be willing to invest in improving the facilities.
While travel was one of the biggest highlights, plenty of other aspects stood out. The training staff was listed as a major positive, with the players describing them as going “above and beyond to support them.” Ninety-three percent say they have an individual plan from strength coaches. Everyone believes they have enough strength coaches, and the roster praised the weight room overall.
The training room was the only glaring issue. The Texans are one of four teams without a steam room, one of six teams without a sauna and one of two teams without either. The room still received praise overall for the number of trainers and physical therapists as well as the space in the hot and cold tubs, which contributed to a tie for for eighth-best. Houston is also one of 14 teams without a family room.
Cowboys
Dallas was praised for its treatment of families, food service, weight room, strength coaches and locker room, all of which were first overall. Ninety-six percent of the players voiced confidence in owner Jerry Jones investing to improve the facilities, which ranked 12th.
All of the players believe there is enough space in the locker room, steam room and cafeteria, and all of them said the team has enough strength coaches, with 96 percent reporting individual plans. The Cowboys provide a family room and daycare. All players said there was enough hot tub space, while 98 percent said there was enough cold tub space.
Travel was the biggest knock on the Cowboys, with only 78 percent of players saying they had enough room to spread out. Dallas is also one of only seven teams without first-class seats on the team plane. Another issue was that the players feel the training staff is understaffed. Dallas is also one of six teams without a sauna.
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Worst teams
Commanders
Given everything that seems to comes out every year about team owner Daniel Snyder, it is hardly a surprise that the Commanders have the lowest grade of all 32 teams. The players have the second-least amount of confidence in him investing to upgrade the facilities, and outside of the strength coaches, players had more concerns with each part of the survey than did players of any other team.
The Commanders ranked tied for last in treatment of families and the training room and were last in locker room and team travel. The training staff was considered bad enough that players did not want to rehab at the team facility. Only 46 percent of players felt there were enough athletic trainers and 31 percent felt there were enough physical therapists. The team ranked 28th in both hot tub space (45 percent) and cold tub space (50 percent).
Players say there is a lack of warm water and drainage issues in the locker room showers, and they want more space in their lockers and more room in the bathrooms. Washington is one of six teams where young players have to have roommates on the road, and one of seven that don’t have any first-class seats on flights. Only 22 percent of players felt they had room to spread out on the plane.
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Washington is one of 11 teams without daycare at the stadium, though it does have a family room.
The team’s biggest strength was, in fact, the strength coaches, who were tied for first with an A-plus grade. Every player on the team said they had an individual strength plan.
Washington responded to the low grades by saying it will continue to work to improve them.
“Player health and safety is our top priority, and we continue to invest in our facilities, including a new practice field, new turf in the practice bubble and increased meeting room space. We know there is more to do, and we regularly talk with our players about ways to improve their work environment and the experience for their families,” the Commanders said in a statement.
Cardinals
Snyder came in at 31st only because Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill ranked last in confidence that he would make improvements. Arizona’s responses exposed glaring issues. Players felt the weight room was hazardous, and they said that players have the cost of dinner deducted from their paychecks if they eat at the facility, the only team with that policy. The team also charges for any meal at the facility during the offseason.
And there were plenty of other issues.
The floor in the weight room was described as being uneven and having peeling floorboards. Just 30 percent of players felt they have enough space in the locker room. Players also complained that the area needs to be renovated. The training and strength staffs received high marks, but 33 percent of players felt there weren’t enough trainers and 52 percent believed there weren’t enough physical therapists, both second-lowest in the league.
Family treatment was also an issue. Arizona is one of only 14 teams without a family room and one of 11 without daycare, which led to the team tying for last in the category.
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Chargers
The Chargers have one glaring issue: They’re using a converted office building as its training facility and won’t have a permanent home until 2024. There isn’t much confidence in owner Dean Spanos improving the facilities; he finished 28th at 50 percent.
The training room tied for last. LA is one of four teams without a steam room, one of six without a sauna and one of two without either. The hot tub, which is often broken, and the cold tub, which is often not cold, were both criticized as having not enough space (33 percent for each) and described as being “gross.” The locker room received complaints for a lack of privacy and few showers, leading to a 28th-place ranking.
While the strength coaches were praised, the players also feel there aren’t enough of them. And the training staff was ranked 30th in the league . Los Angeles parted ways with head trainer Damon Mitchell after the survey was completed. The cafeteria and treatment of families were also targets of criticism. No Charger player surveyed said there was enough room in the cafeteria, and the quality of food was graded 29th. While daycare is offered on game days, the Chargers are one of 14 teams in the NFL without a family room.
Chiefs
Yes, the reigning Super Bowl champions received poor grades from their players. The franchise came in at 29th overall. Several reasons stood out. Some players are forced to have roommates when traveling, and fewer than half the players felt they had enough room on flights. The locker rooms are also viewed as old and in need of renovations.
Kansas City came in last in the NFL in training staff with a grade of a D-minus. The report card noted head trainer Rick Burkholder is viewed negatively; there’s a feeling that he doesn’t treat some players fairly or consistently. The rest of the staff, however, is viewed positively, although 39 percent of players don’t believe there are enough physical therapists and 23 percent feel there aren’t enough athletic trainers, both of which ranked fourth-worst in the NFL.
Just 56 percent of respondents think owner Clark Hunt will put in money to upgrade a facility that players feel is outdated. And that State Farm commercial with Andy Reid drawing mustaches on players’ faces while they’re asleep? It might not be too far off in depicting team travel; players complain that there are few first-class seats on flights.
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Jaguars
Players view Shad Kahn as a great owner; 95 percent of respondents believe that he will make necessary changes to improve the team. What needs improving? To start, rats. There was a rat problem in the locker room and laundry hampers for three to four weeks, per the report.
How players’ families are treated also received overwhelmingly negative grades. Jacksonville is tied for last with an F grade for family support. The report notes that it is one of 14 teams without a family room and one of 11 teams without daycare. The report said players’ wives have been forced to breastfeed babies in public restrooms.
There were other issues. The food quality was graded as 27th, and players complained there wasn’t enough space in the weight room. Only 20 percent of players believe there is enough hot tub space, which ranks last, and 42 percent of players think there is enough cold tub space, which ranks 30th.