Steelers Destroyed in 2026 NFL Report Card

The Pittsburgh Steelers have once again received failing marks on the NFLPA's annual report card, only this time they've fallen all the way to the bottom.

Per ESPN's Kalyn Kahler, the Steelers were ranked as the worst organization in the league by players who participated in the survey from Nov. 2, 2025 to Dec. 11, 2025.

Pittsburgh had been ranked No. 28 each of the past two years, which isn't a ringing endorsement in and of itself, but the fact that it has plummeted to No. 32 is concerning.

Jan 14, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II speaks at a press conference at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Reasons for Steelers' Ranking

A common critique of the Steelers over the years has been their lackluster facilities, and that has remained the case in this rendition of the report card.

"[Steelers owner] Art Rooney ranks last in the league for willingness to invest in facilities, a trend reflected in the Steelers' poor facility ratings across the board," the survey said, per Kahler.

The field conditions at Acrisure Stadium were also raised as a major issue by players, which comes as no surprise after the topic was a public point of discussion on multiple occasions throughout the 2025 campaign.

"Players cite inadequate maintenance and excessive wear from hosting local college and high school games," the survey said, according to Kahler. "Players across the league note the poor condition of the field and emphasize the need for investment to bring it up to standard."

Pittsburgh's locker room was graded as an "F", and its strength coaches were ranked last in the league while the training staff was on the complete opposite of the spectrum at No. 1.

How Big of an Issue is This for Pittsburgh?

From a reputation and legacy standpoint, the Steelers have a lot going for them that may help mask some of the issues at hand.

The organization hasn't had much issue luring players, and a main reason for that is the fact that Pittsburgh never put out a losing product in its 19 years under head coach Mike Tomlin coupled with the historical success of the organization.

If things go south for the Steelers under Tomlin's successor in Mike McCarthy, however, and the wins start to dry up, the concerns from players about the facilities and other aspects of the organization are going to become more prominent.

The NFLPA itself was not allowed to make the results of the survey public after an arbitrator sided with the NFL after they filed a grievance against the former for doing so based upon the fact that it violated the CBA, but that didn't stop them from being disseminated in another fashion.

Perhaps McCarthy's arrival will help clean up some of the present issues, such as the strength coaches, but otherwise Rooney will likely have to invest heavily into improving how the organization goes about its business off the field in order to avoid another low ranking next time around.

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