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Kalin Kahler
multiple authors
for the third consecutive year miami dolphins According to survey results obtained by ESPN, the NFL ranks first in the Players Association’s annual report card. minnesota vikings came second, after Washington Commanders In the third.
The NFLPA survey wrote of the Dolphins, “Players consistently rate the organization as ‘the best in the NFL.'”
pittsburgh steelers The union finished last for the first time in the four-year history of the survey. Last year, the Steelers were 28th. Arizona Cardinals ranked 31st in the 2026 survey, after finishing last in 2025, and cleveland browns Finished in 30th place, same as 2025.
The NFLPA is not making the report cards public this year after a complaint filed by the NFL said the survey violated the collective bargaining agreement. Earlier this month, an arbitrator agreed with the league, saying the report card violated the CBA “by disparaging NFL clubs and individuals.” The NFLPA said it would continue to collect responses to the report cards, even if it could not publish them.
An NFLPA spokesperson declined to comment.
An NFL spokesperson also declined to comment, saying that, as in previous years, the league had no knowledge of the survey. The league sent a memo to all teams later Thursday, saying that, as the arbitration hearing revealed, the survey results were “neither reliable nor scientifically valid.”
“…we continue to recommend that clubs prioritize feedback and information provided directly by their players rather than relying on the NFLPA’s agenda-driven practice,” the league said in the memo. “We further recommend that clubs refrain from commenting on or publicly engaging in the alleged survey and report card results.”
The report grades franchises from A-plus to F-minus on everything from ownership to treatment of families. According to survey results obtained by ESPN, this year’s report cards are based on responses from 1,759 players. All players on the 2025 roster at the time of the survey were eligible to participate, and it was conducted from November 2 to December 11.
According to results obtained by ESPN, the Steelers received low grades in several categories.
“[Steelers owner] According to the survey, Art Rooney ranked last in the league in terms of willingness to invest in facilities, a trend reflected in the Steelers’ poor facility ratings across the board.
In a new category added this year, the Steelers had the lowest-rated home field in the league “by a wide margin”.
According to the survey, “Players cite inadequate maintenance and excessive wear and tear in hosting local college and high school games.” “Players across the league noted the poor condition of the ground and stressed the need for investment to bring it up to standard.”
The Steelers’ locker room was given a grade of F. Players reported that it “only has five bathroom stalls for the entire team.”
According to the survey, players report that the Steelers’ training room lacks updated recovery techniques and “methodologies”. Pittsburgh’s strength coaches rank last in the NFL, although the training staff is first.
“We’re not going to comment on a report that we haven’t seen in full,” Steelers senior communications director Burt Lauten told ESPN.
A spokesman for the Cardinals declined to comment.
Miami ranks fourth in home field play due to the natural grass at Hard Rock Stadium, the survey said, adding that “players have highlighted their preference for such quality grass fields.”
Former Miami coach Mike McDaniels’ grade dropped from an A-plus to a B. “Players identify scheduling, communication and leadership as key areas for head coaching improvement, providing an opportunity.” [new head coach Jeff] Halfway through next season,” the survey said.
Last year, 1,695 players across the league responded to the survey. The Vikings and Dolphins earned the highest marks for workplace environment, with Vikings owner Ziggy Wilf, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and Arthur Blank. atlanta falcons Getting A-Plus grades.
Before filing its grievance in November, the NFL had twice asked the union to suspend the survey, once in 2024 and again in June of this year — and the NFLPA refused.
At the NFL league meeting in March 2025, New York Jets Chairman Woody Johnson – with the Steelers’ Art Rooney, Robert Kraft new England PatriotsMichael Bidwill of the Cardinals and David Tepper of carolina panthers Ownership in 2025 received a grade D or worse – the survey was called “completely fraudulent” and indicated it violated the CBA.
Johnson said he had reservations about “how they gathered the information [and] Who did they collect it from? [It] According to our agreement with the league, this was supposed to happen. It is considered a process [where] We have representatives, and they have representatives, so we know it’s an honest survey.
“And in my opinion, it was violated. I’m going to leave it there, but I think there are a lot of owners who looked at that survey and said it’s not fair, it’s not balanced, it’s not for every player, it’s not even representative of the players.”
