The Steelers and Patriots are showing that an iconic franchise does not guarantee players’ happiness.
In the NFL Players Association’s annual report card released Wednesday, the Steelers and Patriots—the two franchises with the most Super Bowl titles in history—ranked 28th and 31st overall, respectively, out of the 32 NFL teams. The Jets, Browns, and Cardinals were the other three teams in the bottom five—and the trio has one total Super Bowl between them.
Neither team has performed particularly well in the annual report that started in 2023. Pittsburgh finished 28th last year and 22nd in 2023, while New England was 29th last year and 24th in 2023.
Among the 11 categories voted upon by 1,695 players (a 77% response rate, according to the report), the Steelers finished in the bottom half of the league in all but two. The only category in which the team ranked in the top 10 was head coach, as Mike Tomlin finished seventh in the league with an A grade. Tomlin, who started coaching the team in 2007, is one of the most respected coaches in the league and has never finished with a losing record during his Pittsburgh tenure.
On the flip side, Steelers owner Art Rooney II was ranked No. 28 and received a D rating. He was ranked 30th by the players in terms of “perceived willingness to invest in the facilities.” The ranking comes after NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell said in September that he saw “changes” in the team’s facilities following last year’s report.
New England did not crack the top half of the league in any of the 11 categories, and finished above 20th in just one. The players ranked their weight room dead last in the league, and their team plane was ranked second to last with players asking for an upgraded plane.
“The current plane is too small, there is no Wi-Fi available, and there are seats with ashtrays in the armrests,” the report read.
Like Rooney, Patriots owner Robert Kraft also received a D rating from the team, and he was ranked 30th for commitment to build a winning team.
The report noted that the C+ grade the team received for Treatment of Families was a massive improvement from the F- last season as the team made clear improvements that included hiring a dedicated staffer who managed family services. Kraft also announced a $50 million investment in a new facility that will open in 2026.
Falcons Rise
There is no better proof of how much new facilities can help the mood of players than the Falcons. Atlanta saw the largest jump in the 2025 report card, going from 25th to third in a year.
The team’s facility upgrades, which cost between $25 million and $30 million, opened in August 2024. Atlanta’s ratings for its new weight room and locker room both went from an F to an A+, while its food/dining area rose from C to A.
The report card said players also responded well to first-year head coach Raheem Morris and director of player performance John Griffin.
One thing that has remained consistent is the high rating for Falcons owner Arthur Blank, though he still received better ratings this year, going from A- to A+, second in the NFL.
