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EspañolThe NFL has been going to great lengths to prevent the public availability of the NFLPA’s annual report card, which rates that rates how teams treat their players. The league field and won a grievance that claimed the player’s association violated it collective bargaining agreement with the NFL by making the results of the survey public, but that didn’t stop The Athletic from getting a hold of a copy of the report.
Mike Jones, Nicki Jhabvala and Matt Schubert provided the specific grades for every team, and it’s something fans of every team, especially the Kansas City Chiefs, will want to see.
The Chiefs haven’t always fared well in this report, which is especially surprising given the team’s ongoing success. You’d think the facilities would be first-rate across the board given that, but there have been some spotty grades in the past, and ownership hasn’t always done well, either, so let’s see how the Chiefs did in this year’s version.
Start with the good news. The Chiefs got an A- in the “Home field,” and Kansas City also got high marks for its nutritionist and dietician services (A-) along with the weight room (B).
Unfortunately, everything else associated with the facility was average or subpar. The Chiefs got a C+ in “Food/dining,” and the Training staff received a C while the training room drew a C-. Treatment of families also graded out at a C.
The two areas that were definitely subpar were the Travel (D-) and Locker room (F), which is intriguing since those two areas are often considered critical in drawing free agents.
The coaching staff fared better, although there were a couple of grades that slipped into the “average” realm. Position coaches got a C+, which helps explain some of the turnover and new hires that were made, while offensive coordinator got the same grade, which wasn’t surprising given the criticism of now-departed Matt Nagy. Ownership was given a C+, which is consistent with some of the ongoing complaints that have surfaced there in the past.
Everything else was either good, very good or excellent. Special teams coordinator drew a B, which might reflect some of the bad penalties and return issues the Chiefs struggled with, while both the strength coaches and GM Brett Veach got a B+. Head coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuaolo both got A’s, which also isn’t surprising given the respect they’re accorded both within the team and around the league.
For those interested in the snapshot version, here’s the complete list, which was published without accompanying comments, although players are sure to be interviewed about this in the coming weeks and months.
Treatment of families: C
Home field: A-
Travel: D-
Food/dining: C+
Nutritionist/dietician: A-
Locker room: F
Training room: C-
Training staff: C
Weight room: B
Strength coaches: B+
Position coaches: C+
Offensive coordinator: C+
Defensive coordinator: A
Special teams coordinator: B
Head coach: A
General manager: B+
Ownership: C+