No More NFLPA Report Cards?

I’m old enough to remember the thrill (and simultaneous nerve) of my parents getting a school report card.

The small black letters on the Manila-colored paper either kept my summer/winter break plans afloat (As and Bs) or would drastically derail them (Cs and below).

Thankfully, it was more of the former.

Similar to my 5th-grade self, NFL teams get report cards every year. However, they don’t just receive a letter grade of A through F for various categories. The teams are also ranked 1 through 32 for 11 categories:

• Treatment of families

• Food/dining area

• Nutritionist/Dietician

• Locker room

• Training room

• Training staff

• Weight room

• Strength coaches

• Team travel

• Head coach

• Ownership

Using the Cardinals as an example, the team is likely not too happy with its 2025 assessment. Arizona finished dead last in overall ranking (32 of 32) and received only one A for having the eighth-best head coach.

Meanwhile, the team’s treatment of families (D+), food/dining area (D), locker room (F-), training room (D-), training staff (C), weight room (F), strength coaches (C+) and ownership (D-), all finished in the bottom three NFL teams.

In February, the NFLPA released its third annual report card. The NFL is now pushing back.

The league is attempting to stop the union from releasing its annual rankings, claiming the report criticizes clubs in violation of the CBA.

Here’s where the league and union disagree:

Background on Report Cards

The NFL Players Association has released annual report cards since 2023. According to the union, the report aims to assess the overall working conditions for the players, which includes the “daily experience of players at the team facilities away from the lights and cameras.”

For the 2025 report cards, the NFLPA surveyed 1,695 current players with the goals of (i) keeping players informed and (ii) driving improvement across all 32 clubs.

The initiative also aims to assist with: