The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in an unfamiliar spot, landing at the bottom of the NFL Players Association's annual team report cards. This marks the first time the storied franchise has come in last, as revealed by ESPN after the league successfully stopped the NFLPA from releasing the report cards publicly.
This extensive survey, featuring input from 1,759 players, crowned the Miami Dolphins as the top-ranked team, followed by the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Commanders. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns found themselves near the bottom for the second year in a row, sitting at 30th among the league's 32 teams.
The Dolphins earned high marks, particularly for their home field, which was praised for its top-notch natural grass at Hard Rock Stadium. Former head coach Mike McDaniel, now with the Los Angeles Chargers, saw his grade dip from an A+ to a B, highlighting areas for improvement in scheduling, communication, and leadership under new head coach Jeff Hafley.
In a significant development, the NFL won a grievance against the NFLPA, effectively ending the public release of these yearly report cards.
Turning back to the Steelers, their low rankings spanned several categories, notably their home field, which players rated as the worst in the league by a considerable margin. Sharing the field with the University of Pittsburgh and hosting high school playoff games has taken a toll on the playing surface, creating challenges for both the Steelers and their opponents.
The team's locker room also received harsh criticism, scoring an F due to limited facilities, including just five bathroom stalls for the entire team. Steelers president Art Rooney was ranked last regarding his willingness to invest in facilities, a sentiment echoed in the team's poor overall facility ratings.
Rooney has previously downplayed the significance of the NFLPA's survey, suggesting it serves more as a media opportunity than a constructive critique. In 2024, he remarked that the survey wasn’t presented to the team but rather to the media.
The NFL's grievance argued that the survey breached the collective bargaining agreement, a point the arbitrator agreed with, noting that the report cards disparaged NFL clubs and individuals. Despite this, the NFLPA intends to continue gathering player feedback, even if it can't publish the results.
Both the NFLPA and the NFL declined to comment further on the matter, maintaining their silence as the league distances itself from the survey process.