We have seen the last of the annual NFL Players Association report cards.
The NFL has won its grievance against the NFLPA, which now bans the union from conducting and publishing future player report cards, according to a memo sent to all 32 teams.
“We are pleased with the decision from the arbitrator,” the NFL said in a statement. “Upholding the parties’ collective bargaining agreement and prohibiting the NFLPA from disparaging our clubs and individuals through ‘report cards’ allegedly based on data and methodologies that it has steadfastly refused to disclose.
“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.”
Since 2023, the NFLPA has conducted and disseminated the results of anonymous player surveys, designed to hold NFL clubs, owners, coaches and other personnel accountable. But the league filed a grievance in August to halt the annual report cards, which stem from CBA Article 51, Section 6, which requires the NFLPA and the league management council to “use reasonable efforts to curtail public comments by Club personnel or players which express criticism of any club…”
Report cards ranked all 32 teams from best to worst based on criteria such as family treatment, food/dining, locker rooms and ownership. Last year, nearly 1,700 players participated in the 2025 NFLPA report card survey. Despite the league filing a grievance, the NFLPA still surveyed players for the 2025 report cards in November.
In addition, the NFL alleged that the report card surveys interfered with the union’s upholding of Article 39, Section 5, which mandates that the league and union jointly conduct an anonymous survey at least once every three years regarding players’ opinions on medical care and staff. The CBA also requires the parties to “commission independent analyses of the results of such surveys.”
After the news was announced on social media, various former and current NFL players voiced their displeasure with the ruling.
“The NFL is upset that teams have been graded, judged, and coerced to update facilities, training staffs, weight rooms,” Saints defensive end Cam Jordan posted on X. “Necessities to keep the modern NFL athlete top tier.”
Former Texans defensive end and current CBS analyst J.J. Watt was also unhappy with the decision.
“NFL won’t let actual players grade the workplace they attend every single day,” he said on X. “But they’ll allow a third-party ‘grading’ service [Pro Football Focus] to display their ‘ rankings’ of players on national television every Sunday night.”
Many owners despised the report cards, including Jets owner Woody Johnson, who called the survey “totally bogus” at the annual meeting in Palm Beach last year. The Jets’ ranking fell from 21st in 2023 to 29th in 2024. Johnson also received an F for his role in team culture and investment, ranking 32nd out of 32 owners.
“We want to get better every day in every category,” Johnson said. “We want to be No. 1 in everything. All of our people do.
“If there are areas we can improve — and I think there are always areas we can improve, not because of this bogus report — we’re going to do it.”
