Dolphins, Vikings top NFLPA report cards again

INDIANAPOLIS — For the second year in a row, the Miami Dolphins have emerged as the leading team featured in the NFL Players Association annual report card. Closely following them are the Minnesota Vikings, maintaining their spot as the second-ranked team. This ranking has been disclosed in the latest NFLPA report card, which was unveiled on Wednesday during the NFL scouting combine.

Rounding out the top five teams, the Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders, and Los Angeles Chargers made their mark, as noted in this third annual report card. On the other end of the spectrum, the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, and Arizona Cardinals found themselves in the bottom five.

JC Tretter, who serves as the chief strategy officer for the NFLPA, mentioned that across the league, 1,695 players participated in the survey, translating to approximately 52 players per team, representing 77% of the union’s membership. The survey was conducted over several months, from August 26 to November 20. Lloyd Howell, the executive director of the NFLPA, emphasized that the goal of these report cards is not to embarrass but instead to explore ways of enhancing the working environment for players.

Tretter also noted a general positive shift in the rankings for most teams. A standout example is the Washington Commanders, who experienced a noteworthy transition from being ranked 32nd twice in previous years to rising to the 11th spot. Tretter pointed out that this significant improvement underscores the intentions behind the project. He highlighted the efforts of owner Josh Harris in enhancing staffing and team culture. Notably, Commanders coach Dan Quinn was recognized as the top-ranked coach by players this year.

Other notable movements in the rankings include the Falcons’ jump from 25th to 3rd place and the Chargers’ rise from 30th to 5th. Meanwhile, the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, experienced a decline, slipping to 22nd from their previous ranking of fourth last year.