To that end, the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) recently released its annual team report cards. Players, team execs and fans alike are reacting with anger, indignation and outrage. The survey, which ran from August 26 through November 20, 2024, gathered responses from 1,695 players around the league. Specifically, it measures the quality of team environments, such as coaching, facilities and treatment. The findings immediately ignited public outcry. A number of teams received failing grades, inspiring conversations about what that should mean for their ownership and front office.
Josh Harris gets special attention here for his unusual dedication to ongoing improvement. It pushed up his average rating for his willingness to invest in facilities up to 9.24 out of 10, after he bought the Washington Commanders in July 2023. This culture of improvement has been found in the recent renovations to the Commanders’ locker room, which were revealed in July. So did Dan Quinn, head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, who was impressed with Harris and Peters. Their hard work and determination made for amazing changes in the team’s facilities.
It wasn’t smooth sailing on the survey for every team. The Commanders earned an F grade for their response towards families. The Cincinnati Bengals fared even worse than the Cubs, receiving an F-minus in the February report card. Beyond the tally of wins and losses, these results have ignited conversation about the value of transparency and accountability in managing a major league team.
The Los Angeles Chargers were truly an incredible success story. In 2020, they jumped dramatically from 30th to 5th place after investing millions into a new training facility. The Atlanta Falcons, for comparison, jumped from 25th to 3rd. They earned this top-tier distinction by impressing student-athletes in critical areas such as the weight room, locker room and dining hall. These changes underscore a trend where teams that prioritize player welfare and investment in facilities tend to receive better feedback.
The NFLPA began doing these surveys in spite of the league’s resistance. More broadly, this move highlights the players’ growing appetite for more transparency on their work environments. Quentin Lake, a 10-year veteran, remarked on the significance of player feedback:
“Whenever the players give a voice, it’s important because they’re giving an honest opinion about what should be changed organizationally.”
Lake conceded that a safe, secure environment is important for players, coaches and staff to be able to do their best work. He said he was personally disappointed by management’s unwillingness to embrace these report cards.
“We get graded every single day, whether it’s at practice or during the game. It’s just interesting that now they don’t want report cards to come out about their organization and stuff like that,” he said.
Retired Arizona Cardinal Kelvin Beachum, who joined Lake’s initiative, reiterated those sentiments and highlighted the objectivity of the survey results.
“It’s objective, especially for the people that are actually in the buildings every single day,” he stated. “No disrespect to the National Football League, but a lot of those folks sit in offices at 345 Park [the league headquarters in New York City], and you have folks that are doing these reports that are living, breathing, eating, sleeping, working, the whole nine.”
Beachum was particularly appreciative of the transparency the report cards provided for the public to hold teams accountable.
“It’s a great way to be transparent and a great way to keep everybody accountable.”
Michael Bidwill, the asphyxiating owner of the Arizona Cardinals, deserved a D-minus. In our latest owner rankings, he placed 30th out of 32 team owners. The closing came after Bidwill received pushback on his team’s facilities. He announced a bold plan to invest up to $100 million over the next three years to create a world-class training facility at Paradise Ridge, in north Phoenix.
Back to Harris and the Commanders’ performance, Dan Quinn highlighted the positive impact of Harris’s leadership on team facilities.
“That goes to [team owner] Josh [Harris], honestly, and [general manager] Adam [Peters].”
The contrasting results among teams suggest that investment in player environments not only affects satisfaction but may play a role in overall team performance on and off the field. Oren Burks had a great perspective on why this is an issue.
“I feel like it benefits the teams that are doing it right.”
The important discussion around these report cards continues to show that player welfare and organizational success are inextricably connected. Players are doing a commendable job of pushing for transparency and accountability with these surveys. If amplified, their voices will encourage more teams to invest in building better facilities and improving conditions of work.
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