NFL players spoke their minds about the best and worst parts of their teams.
The third installment of the NFLPA Report Cards have been released.
Some teams are at the front of the class, while some others might need summer school.
For the past three years the NFLPA has surveyed players on all 32 teams to “capture real player experiences across all 32 clubs.” Players are asked to opine on such topics as travel arrangements, food and dining, facilities, and more. According to the NFLPA 1,695 players — accounting for 77% of the league — responded this year.
These are the results that stood out to us. You can view the report for yourself here.
The Patriots need new planes
The New England Patriots purchased two Boeing 767-300s back in 2017, and according to the team they have made some upgrades to both: “These specific aircraft have been upgraded, so each seat is in a first-class configuration. This allows proper leg room and seating space for the NFL players that will travel onboard. Both of the aircraft are also powered by two General Electric CF6 turbofan engines, which provide the aircraft with over 47,500 pounds of thrust, per FlightAware.”
They might need some more upgrades.
According to the survey “team travel remains a significant concern—only 39% of players feel they have comfortable amount of space on flights when traveling to games. The plane is dated – it lacks Wi-Fi and still has ashtrays in the seats.”
The Patriots ranked 31 out of 32 teams, and received an F for “Team Travel.”
Woody Johnson might want to restart this game of Madden
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson might want to skip reading the results.
Or better yet, he might want to read them in full detail and engage in some introspection.
Only one team received an F under “Ownership:” Johnson’s Jets. This was a massive drop from last year when Johnson received a B-. “The Jets’ ownership grade dropped from a B- to an F, with Woody Johnson receiving the league’s lowest owner score for contributing to a positive team culture.”
The Saints can’t cook
Explain to me how, in one of the most well-seasoned and flavorful cities in the world, the New Orleans Saints get one of the worst grades in the NFL on their food? They’re one of only two teams that doesn’t provide three meals a day, and the taste/freshness of their food is near the bottom of the league. That simply can’t happen when you can walk outside and probably find the best cooks in America on Bourbon Street. The NFLPA does acknowledge that New Orleans is building a new dining facility, but hopefully that comes with some better cooks.
The Commanders are the biggest winners
Sometimes, winning a lot of football games helps change the perception of your team. Last year, the Commanders were dead last in the NFLPA survey in the midst of another moribund year for the most rudderless franchise in the sport. Now, they’re 11th and riding high after a remarkable turnaround by owner Josh Harris, GM Adam Peters and HC Dan Quinn. Quinn got especially high marks, finishing with an A+ grade and first in that category.
Ownership also jumped into the top 10, which is a massive reflection of the work the new ownership group has done. There’s still more improvements to be made (locker room improvements among them), but it’s remarkable how much a culture can shift in one year.
Oh no, the Cardinals suck again!
A tale as old as time. Once again the Arizona Cardinals are rated poorly, and this year they achieved new levels of being terrible by being the 32nd ranked team in the NFL. This is simply astounding work by everyone involved.
The NFLPA has been releasing team report cards for three years and in that time it seems like the Cardinals have learned precisely nothing.
- 31st in 2023
- 27th in 2024
- 32nd in 2025
Players talk, and if you wonder why the Cardinals struggle to attract free agents (along with their routinely abysmal record), now you know why.
There’s something up with Kevin Stefanski
When it comes to head coach ratings they always tend to do well. Truth be told the vast majority of players in the league tend to really like their coaches unless they’re absolutely off the rails, but the surprising part here is Kevin Stefanski earning a “C” rating in Cleveland.
Often viewed as the only good part about the franchise, Stefanski’s middling rating ties him with Doug Pederson (Jaguars) and Matt Eberflus (Bears) to be the worst rated coach in the NFL. Both Pederson and Eberflus were fired, FYI.
The Dolphins get a win
Once again the Miami Dolphins took the top spot in the survey, receiving at least an A in every single category, and receiving an A+ in 8-of-11 categories. The organization even renovated the game-day locker rooms at Hard Rock Stadium this past summer, which players highlighted in the survey.
Still, there is room for improvement in Miami. “While the facilities and staff contribute to a highly positive player experience, there is still room for improvement. Players would like a better home game hotel, and more sideline passes for family members before games.”
