INDIANAPOLIS – No more rats.
And overall, steadily rising grades across the NFL, according to the NFL Players’ Association annual team report cards based on player surveys, now in its third year of existence.
The top teams are more of the same, with the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings ranking first and second, respectively, for the second straight year. The Atlanta Falcons, with a new training facility, jumped from 25th to No. 3. In fourth was the Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers came in fifth.
Last year, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ report stated that rats had taken up residence at the team’s facility. This year’s report offered little juicy details such as that, although the Falcons experienced a ventilation issue in the locker room that led to some odor complaints. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also reported some odorous grievances.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, the New York Jets, the Cleveland Browns, the New England Patriots and the Arizona Cardinals were the bottom five teams in that order, per the survey.
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Here are other takeaways from the report cards that have become a tradition for their release in conjunction with the league’s NFL scouting combine.
Top risers
The Falcons’ new facility and new cafeteria were major factors behind their drastic climb in the rankings. A first-year strength staff brought the grade in that area from F- to an A and is an example of something that drastically changes the player experience, according to NFLPA chief strategy officer JC Tretter. Head coach Raheem Morris, whose first year with the team was the 2024 season, also rated high compared to ex-coach Arthur Smith.
The Washington Commanders went from the bottom (32nd) to 11th. Owner Josh Harris clearly took note of the survey and said in the aftermath: “I’m not a F-minus guy.”
“(It) shows the point of this project,” Tretter said.
Dan Quinn was the top-ranked head coach.
“I’ve heard glowing things about Dan Quinn,” Tretter said.
There was a major jump in food service in Washington and the addition of daycare on game days led to a jump in family services from a F- to B+. Travel was another improvement for the Commanders.
The Kansas City Chiefs also moved up from the bottom. Owner Clark Hunt was another responsive owner, Tretter said. They hired a full-time dietician and the grade subsequently went from F to A-. Their training staff, which had received a D and F- in the first two years of the survey, respectively, improved to C.
“The Chiefs made major improvements this year,” Tretter said.
“None of those are $50 million investments,” Tretter added. “Those are small investments that make a big difference.”
Owners, dieticians judged in additional contexts
Previously, owners had been judged based off one question: how willing were they to invest in the team? The 2024 survey also asked players whether their bosses contributed to positive team culture and to rate their commitment to building a competitive team.
For dieticians, players were asked about the depth of their nutrition plan they received and how accessible the dieticians were to players.
Owner rankings
The two relative newcomers to the NFL’s 32 owners, Greg Penner with the Denver Broncos and Harris (eighth overall) with the Commanders, are already making their mark – at least within their own clubs. The top five owners according to the rankings are:
Stephen Ross (Dolphins)
Arthur Blank (Falcons)
Mark Wilf (Vikings)
Penner
Dean Spanos (Chargers)
And the bottom five owners are:
28. Art Rooney (Pittsburgh Steelers)
29. Robert Kraft (Patriots)
30. Michael Bidwill (Cardinals)
31. David Tepper (Panthers)
32. Woody Johnson (Jets)
The Jets’ situation
Johnson, who ranked last among all owners, was cited as the main reason for the Jets’ overall decline from 21st to 29th. Players cited “top-down” concerns within the organization and also felt he responded to past criticism in backwards ways. For example, the team’s highest-rated in last year’s survey was the dietician. She was not retained and ended up with the Chiefs, who drastically improved in the food categories.
Daycare matters
The Indianapolis Colts added daycare on game days to take their “treatment of families” grade from a D to a B+.
“One thing that stands out is the daycare,” Tretter said.
The offer gives something to the families and the number has gone from 11 teams that did not provide it in the first year of the survey to seven in year two to just three – nearly a “universal offer,” Tretter said – that don’t.
“We showed what guys want,” Tretter said.
The Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles are the only teams who still do not offer daycare on game days.
No coordinator rankings this year
Six coaches who appeared on the 2024 top coordinators list (top five on offense, defense, special teams) are now head coaches in the league:
Brian Callahan (Tennessee Titans)
Aaron Glenn (New York Jets)
Quinn (Commanders)
Morris (Falcons)
Kellen Moore (New Orleans Saints)
Brian Schottenheimer (Dallas Cowboys)
The union did not have players rank coordinators this time, however. The length of the survey is always a consideration and it’s certainly something the union will revisit in the future.
Floor is rising
The union has found zero correlation between winning percentage and scores. However, owners are competitive and peer pressure is a factor, as is free agency.
“No one enjoys not being good at their jobs,” Tretter said.
The survey included 1,695 respondents, with an average of 52 per team – essentially more than 75% of the union, including practice squad and those on injured reserve. The survey was conducted during union leadership’s visits to teams from Aug. 26 to Nov. 20, 2024.
The No. 5 to No. 8 overall team rankings were all marginally close, Tretter said.
In 2023, 81 areas received an A- or above, but that increased to 114 in 2024. Sixty-five areas had grades of D+ or below and has decreased to 32. F- is nearly an extinct category with four marks.
“The standard is rising,” Tretter said. “The floor is rising.”
This story has been updated with new information.
