Fox News Flash top sports headlines for February 29
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For the second time ever, the NFLPA surveyed players across the league to get a better understanding of their workplace environments with the hopes of improving their overall working conditions.
Data collected from the second annual NFL Player Team Report Cards were released this week and included feedback from 1,706 players throughout the league – which equates to more than a 77% response rate, a significant increase from last year’s 60%.
The NFLPA has released its second annual NFL Player Team Report Cards. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
NFLPA President JC Tretter explained in a note on the union’s website that the goal of the survey is not only to highlight the positives of each club but to also identify areas of improvement and educate its members.
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"Progress rarely comes as fast as you would like, but we are encouraged by how many teams made substantial improvements in the wake of last year’s results. Overall, players responded to those changes positively, which is reflected in many of the grades for those clubs," Tretter wrote.
The survey was conducted from Aug. 26 to Nov. 16 and was based on results in 11 different categories.
Read below for more on the results and this year’s biggest takeaways.
BIG RED WINS BIG
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid celebrates after winning Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11, 2024. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
In one of the least surprising results from the survey, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was selected as the highest-rated coach – a "bright spot" on a rather poor report card overall.
"The Kansas City Chiefs come in second to last place among NFL clubs in this year's survey," the report said of the Chiefs’ overview. "The one bright spot for the team is head coach Andy Reid, who was the highest rated head coach in the NFL. Other than that, the players are frustrated by their workplace offerings, especially after the team's sustained success in recent years."
Owner Clark Hunt, who received an F-minus ranking in the report, addressed the failing grades the organization received for their nutritionist/dietitian, locker room and training staff when speaking to a small group of reporters on Wednesday.
"I have not had a chance to see the report," he said, per the Associated Press. "I mentioned the practice facility is something we're going to continue to think about. It's coming up on 20 years. We've certainly in a lot of ways outgrown it, and we recognize we need to expand it and modernize it."
For Reid’s part, it’s no surprise that players ranked him among the best. He boasts a 128-51 record in the regular season since joining the organization in 2013. Kansas City has won the division for the last eight years and has won three Super Bowls in the last five seasons, including two straight.
CHIEFS OWNER RANKED WORST IN NFL, PLAYERS UNION SURVEY SHOWS AFTER BACK-TO-BACK SUPER BOWLS
BAD TASTE
Sam Hubbard (94) and BJ Hill of the Cincinnati Bengals (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
The Cincinnati Bengals ranked in the top 10 in the head coach, strength coaches, weight room and training room categories but finished last in three other categories, including food/cafeteria.
According to the survey, the Bengals are just one of two teams in the league that don’t provide their players with three meals a day and only recently began doing so on Wednesdays. They are also the only team that closes the cafeteria on players’ day off, despite some showing up for extra training on those days.
They also rank 30th overall in food taste and 31st overall in food freshness.
The organization also ranked 32nd in the treatment of families and nutritionist/dietitian.
The Bengals did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
LOCKER ROOM CONTEMPT
This view shows FedExField in Landover, Maryland. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
The Washington Commanders caught heat last season after it was reported that the locker rooms had no hot water after a game against the New York Giants. But the NFLPA survey revealed that there were more issues with the team’s facilities outside that one incident.
According to the report, the Commanders received an F-minus grade for the locker room, with just 19% of players saying they feel that the locker room itself is big enough and 26% saying they have enough room in their individual lockers.
"Players also mention issues with cleanliness, citing multiple sewage leaks this season," the report added.
The Commanders overall ranked 32nd with minor improvement from last year since Josh Harris purchased the team in July.
"The organization received low marks across the board last year, so there is no shortage of issues that need marked improvement after years of neglect. The one bright spot for the club is the players’ ranking of the Commanders’ strength coaches, with 98% of player respondents saying that they get the best possible individualized plan," the report states.
Washington continues to endure changes under its new ownership with FedEx ending its naming rights agreement with the stadium on Wednesday. A potential replacement home is also still an option, with Harris’ group still considering options in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
The Commanders declined to comment on the survey data, but the team recently announced plans to spend $75 million on both stadium and facility upgrades and hired a consultant late last season to evaluate player wellness operations.
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TOP OF THE CLASS
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, left, and team owner Stephen Ross (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
The Miami Dolphins ranked 1st overall and finished in the top three for every category except head coach (8th).
"Club owner Stephen Ross is the highest-graded club owner in our survey, receiving a near perfect score," the report reads. "The club owner’s ranking reflects the strong performance in key areas that players care about, including the quality of their facilities, the comfort of players’ travel, and the quality and quantity of staff across multiple categories."
The Dolphins' lowest grade was an A-minus and players gave Ross a rating of 9.9/10 "when considering his willingness to invest in the facilities."
NOT WORKING OUT?
According to the survey, the biggest issue plaguing New England Patriots players was the team’s weight room. (Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images)
The biggest issue plaguing the New England Patriots players surrounds the team’s weight room.
According to the survey data, the organization ranks 32nd overall in this category. It is the only team in the league where the majority of players feel that the team’s facility "is worse than places they could train offsite."
They also rank 32nd overall in the quality of their weight room equipment and space.
"The players feel the facility has needed significant renovations for a while now, which explains the low grade for club owner Robert Kraft on the question about players having confidence he will invest in their facilities," the report states.
The Patriots did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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