The NFL Players Association recently released the second edition of its team report cards, which anonymously asked players across the league to provide feedback on various aspects of their team’s working conditions. The survey included input from 1,706 players, representing a response rate of over 77%, a significant improvement from the previous year. The goal of the survey is not only to highlight positive aspects of each club but also to pinpoint areas for improvement and educate union members. Some team owners have used the report to identify areas needing attention, while others have taken a more dismissive approach.
One owner who does not seem to place much importance on the survey results is Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II. The Steelers ranked 28th out of 32 teams in this year’s report card, and Rooney appeared to question the NFLPA’s motives for conducting the survey. He suggested that the results are presented to the media rather than directly to teams, leading him to believe that it is more of a media opportunity for the Players Association rather than a serious critique. Rooney indicated that he prefers to receive feedback directly from the players themselves.
The survey revealed that the Steelers players provided low ratings for how their families were treated, with a grade of F-, and for the team’s nutritionist/dietician, which earned a D. Conditions for traveling and the locker room environment also received poor grades, with a D and an F respectively. However, longtime head coach Mike Tomlin received high marks, earning an A. Comparing this year’s results to last year’s, the locker room earned a C, family treatment a D-, and travel conditions a B.
The Steelers were ranked below the Patriots, Chargers, Chiefs, and Commanders in the report. The survey was conducted over a period of several months, from late August to mid-November. Despite Rooney’s apparent dismissal of the report card results, the feedback provided by players offers valuable insights into areas that may require attention and improvement within the organization. It remains to be seen how teams will respond to the feedback and whether any changes will be implemented based on the survey results.
