NFL Takes Cowardly Route by Barring Release of Annual NFLPA Report Cards

No more public “F” grades. The NFLPA is prohibited from publicly releasing its annual report cards.

The NFL has won their grievance against the NFLPA. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The NFL Players Association will no longer be publicly releasing their annual team report cards.

In recent years, the NFLPA has surveyed well over 1,000 players across the league to compile report cards and grades for all 32 teams based on the following categories that affect players’ lives on a day-to-day basis.

• Treatment of families
• Food/dining area
• Nutritionist/dietitian
• Locker room
• Training room
• Training staff
• Weight room
• Strength coaches
• Team travel
• Head coach
• Ownership

After releasing these grades publicly over the last three years, the NFL filed a grievance to stop the union from filing these report cards. On Friday, the NFL sent a letter to teams announcing that they had won their grievance as the arbitrator ruled that the release of these report cards “disparaging NFL clubs and individuals violates the Collective Bargaining Agreement.” The arbitrator issued an order prohibiting the NFLPA from publicly releasing these report cards in the future.

The result of this grievance is disappointing to many across the league. Retired defensive end J.J. Watt was among the first to speak out, writing on X, “NFL won’t let actual players grade the workplace they attend every single day, but they’ll allow a 3rd party ‘grading’ service to display their ‘rankings’ of players on national television every Sunday night…”

NFL won’t let actual players grade the workplace they attend every single day, but they’ll allow a 3rd party “grading” service to display their “rankings” of players on national television every Sunday night… https://t.co/JBQXOgFZIN

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) February 13, 2026

49ers tight end George Kittle showed support for Watt’s message, replying “Go off J.J.”

Saints defensive end Cam Jordan wrote on X, “The NFL is upset that teams have been graded, judged and coerced to update to facilities, training staffs, weight rooms. Necessities to keep the modern NFL athlete top tier,” with an eye roll emoji.

The NFLPA began releasing these report cards in hopes of providing better information to free agents as they pick their next teams as well as helping “raise the standards across each club.”

Even though the release of these report cards began just three years ago, much of the league has already seen meaningful change as teams aim to raise their grades by providing better working conditions for players.

RELATED: Why Four NFL Teams Scored F-Minus Grades in Player Survey, and How They Can Improve

Here’s a look at just some of the changes that have come out of these report cards.

• In the first released report cards in 2023, the Falcons received a “C-“ in nutrition and the weight room and a “D” or “D-“ for their strength staff and locker room. By 2025, the Falcons ranked third overall and received “A’s” or higher in all but two categories. Their lowest grade in any category was a “B”.
• The Commanders have also significantly improved their ranking, moving up to 11th in 2025. This in large part because of the ownership change which moved the franchise away from Dan Snyder. Unsurprisingly, that has led to the betterment of the franchise both on the field and off.
• The Chargers were another team that received multiple “F” and “D” grades when the report cards were initially released in 2023. With their new facility “The Bolt” opening up, Los Angeles rose to the fifth-best grade in 2025.
• Last year, the Patriots and Cardinals ranked 31st and 32nd in the report cards. Both teams have taken action and are in the process of building new facilities.

Among those who have spoken out against these report cards includes Jets owner Woody Johnson, who previously called the surveys “totally bogus.” Johnson was the only owner to receive an “F” grade in last year’s report cards. From reports that Johnson has given more weight to his teenage sons’ opinions on running the team, concerning comments he’s made toward his quarterbacks to the Jets holding the NFL’s longest active playoff drought, Johnson has been a symbol of poor ownership. Instead of looking to genuinely improve his team, Johnson has turned away from accountability.

The NFL has since said in a statement, via Jonathan Jones, “We remain committed to working in partnership with the NFLPA and an independent survey company to develop and administer a scientifically valid survey to solicit accurate and reliable player feedback as the parties agreed in the CBA.”

This is a cowardly step back for the NFL as the league and poor ownership win over the well-being of its players. These surveys have been popular and effective for a reason as they’ve urged many teams to improve their facilities and conditions to lure free agents and please their players. Instead of embracing this as the positive it is, the league is once again turning its back on accountability and doing what’s best for its players.

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