NFL report cards: Despite another Super Bowl win, Chiefs again ranked among worst workplaces
stevek
Posts: 28,991 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Sports Talk
NFL report cards: Despite another Super Bowl win, Chiefs again ranked among worst workplaces by players
Top teams:
- Dolphins
- Vikings
- Packers
- Eagles
- Jaguars
.....In Bill Belichick's final season with New England, the Patriots ranked 29th with an F-, falling four spots from last year's report. The union's report noted that the Patriots are one of 12 teams that don't provide a family room during gamedays and one of seven clubs that don't provide daycare support on gamedays. "The Patriots are the only team in the NFL with a majority of players feeling that their team’s facility is worse than places they could train offsite," the NFLPA's report stated. The club's weight room got the worst marks in the league. Belichick got a B- grade, ranking 27th among head coaches.
0
Comments
You Patriots fans on here sure have been right about Robert Kraft.
Kraft can't take care of his player's kids better than this on game day? I mean all the friggin' money he's got? Can't have a better weight room? 👎
Kraft is cheap, that is a known fact.
I'm sure he has donated plenty of money to various things but the reality is that its expected, overall the guy is not one that I have a ton of love for within the Patriots
As far as I know NE started building a new weight room soon after the Light tower was finished and it should be ready to use this offseason.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
The D score in team travel must be why Mahomes and the Chiefs play so poorly when away from home... oh wait... they're only the team with the quarterback with the best road winning percentage in NFL history.
Clark Hunt may or may not invest in amenities at the team's facilities, I don't know, but there is no way he is considered cheap when investing in the team. He spends money on the head coach. He spends money on assistant coaches. He spends money on top tier talent.
I don't know what angle the player's union is trying to take with this survey, but it sure seems like a load of bunk. Are they using surveys they got back from guys named Tyreke and Charvarius and Kadarius?
You would be shocked how common this is in pro sports. Its not unique to just the NFL either. Theres teams that charge players for eating at team facilities, countless stories of wives breastfeeding in a bathroom stall when the team could have easily let them go to a player area, the Bucks charging players to not have a roommate etc.
The most egregious might be the Yankees who are arguably the most valuable sports franchise in the world. They make players pay to use wifi on every team flight if they want to use it.
I'm not joking at all when I say that players at major colleges get treated better and have better off field facilities/meals than a lot of pro franchises provide. Locker rooms, weight rooms, meals, lounge spaces, the whole 9 yards. Theres many baseball programs where thats the same as well compared to MLB teams but its not as widespread as football
Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007
Wow that is crazy, I didn't know any of that
Shoot, that's nothing, you should see the New York Jets bathrooms, they're disgusting.
I read the other day of improvements to the clubhouse etc. at the spring training facilities for the Yankees in Florida. Will have to Google it. One thing was a patio. And one other was something about locker size being increased.
https://nflpa.com/nfl-player-team-report-cards-2024
Click through all the different teams. Its insane what you will find. The Bengals for instance have their dining room closed on off days even though players still come in, they only offer dinners on Wednesday. The Saints are the other team not offering 3 meals a day despite being in a massive food city. The Steelers are one of 7 teams that dont offer daycare on game days.
It goes on an on and the majority of these problems could be fixed incredibly cheaply. The amount of Fs and Ds, even some F- when you look at the grade breakdowns will likely be very surprising to a lot of people who think the athletes are getting treated like kings by the teams
Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007
Spring training improvements the players arent really worried about. Youre there for a month and none of them arent that nice. Its in season things like facilities there treatment of families, food, personalized plans things like that the players care the most about. Some of the things like the Yankees charging for WiFi really isnt even about the money, the players can afford it and the Yankees certainly can. It just goes towards the lack of respect the organization has towards its players to not provide something so cheap for them.
Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007
O boy they don’t get 3 free meals a day. I don’t get any free meals per day where I work and I’m pretty hungry right now. 😫
Well it is wednesday so if you're passing through Cincinnati feel free to drop by the Bengals facility,apparently its the only night that they offer dinners. 😎
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
Totally agree with everybody on this. Considering the enormous amount of money these teams spend on everything else including of course player salaries, being so ridiculously cheap in this manner is lunacy in my view.
I'm not sure why I just thought of this, but a buddy of mine read a book about Sam Walton, the gentleman who founded Walmart. He said that in the book, it was stated that up until the day he died, the most Sam Walton would tip a taxi cab driver was 10 cents. Perhaps it's a strange sort of mind frame among billionaires of being crazy cheap in certain circumstances for some inexplicable reason?
Clark already sent me the memo...
hey 2ble D...
you sure you got the right phone number there ???
I thought it was: 867-5309...
i guess i am in the minority here, but the players are paid very well. even those getting the minimum salary in sports. I dont think it is the teams responsibility to feed them 3 meals a day for free or provide free childcare, wifi, etc. they are paid well for their services, I dont see why they cannot figure out thier own meals etc. I mean, everyone else does.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
I agree, I am just shocked to hear how it is though.
I always thought players were given lavish meals on practice days, I never gave a thought about babysitting or any of that other stuff.
I remember when I graduated the academy and started at the Jail, they offered a small breakfast and a massive lunch every day. It was like a high school cafeteria, I was in utter amazement that it was for us. After 9/11 there were so many cut backs they took away the breakfast and the lunch was pared down big time. Then during the crash of 2007 they took away the lunch in its entirely and put in vending machines.
I think we would all faint if we knew of the kinds of things that players get written into their contracts. Not that I know of anything, but the stories I have heard seem petty. Between what the players are paid and how much ownership profits these franchises in all sports are drowning in money.
One thing I have learned in life, the more money people have the more entitled they believe they are. It’s called greed.
Point taken. However on game day, as an owner I would want every player focused on the game, rather than how are they gonna get their kids to day care.
As far as the meals, as an owner I would want to feed the players the most nutritious food possible so they can achieve the best performance possible.
With the weight room. Why wouldn't an owner want to provide players the best facilities possible, so that the players are eager to get in there, work out, and improve their performance?
In my view it's about maintaining control of the situation for just a little extra money, to solidify and improve on a huge investment.
The bottom line is the NFL is about winning football games, and in my view doing what was mentioned helps enable a team to do that.
All that being said, it certainly isn't a guaranteed formula especially when the Chiefs seem to have a dismal record on this, yet they've won back to back Super Bowls. 🤔
If I were an owner, I would want a state-of-the-art "film" room/rooms and the best technology available for player/staff to access. Whatever they need for team meetings or reviewing previous games or planning for future ones. Ipads, computers etc. I would also want a state-of-the-art weight/strength/stretching/recovery facility with ice baths, massage whatever it takes to get players ready for the next game.
everything else, I would leave up to the players. let them hire a personal assistant for 60k a year if the day to day of life is just to much for them to navigate through.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
I guess some teams put their effort into winning championships than they do providing day care for millionaire ball players.
I don't see that as any sort of cause and effect.
There's an old saying that it's better to be lucky than good. I believe that old saying is definitely true. Belichick and Reid are of course both hall of fame coaches. That being said, there was an element of luck, call it "good fortune" or whatever, involved with drafting Brady the GOAT, and Mahomes who is already a hall of fame QB.
Take the latest example, the Chiefs were very lucky to have won that Super Bowl and we all know it. Perhaps a better overall player environment would have attracted better free agents, resulting in a better team, and the Chiefs win that game handily, instead of squeaking by.
I just think that being penny wise and pound foolish, is not a smart business model for an NFL football team, and sooner or later will come back to haunt them in various ways.
Perhaps if the Eagles weren’t pampered prima donnas they wouldn’t have choked.
Maybe having crappy facilities made the Chiefs hard nosed and pissed off at the world and they won yet another sb because of it.
Makes as much sense as your usual ramblings anyway.
I don't know or care if it has anything to do with 'cause and effect".
All the players care about is money. None of them decided to come here (Minnesota) and play for a worse contract because ownership has put a lot of money into the weight room, offer day care, or feed you better.
The minimum salary for rookies in the NFL is $750,000.00. They can hire their own babysitter.
The fans end up paying gof it anyway.
Here in Minnesota with our state of the art stadium and other facilities, a bottle of water costs $11.00 at a football game.
GET BENT!
Darin, you're a funny guy. 🤣
"Everything" factors into a player's decision to stay with a team, or go with another team in free agency. Of course money is the main factor, but other factors weigh into it.
Having safe and convenient child care actually may be a more important factor to a player than the most money. The smarter owners understand this and thus offer it.
Perhaps Steve is once ag> @stevek said:
Sometimes it’s just bizarre what you post. Now you say the Chiefs could have won their 3rd Super Bowl in 5 years easier if they had better amenities.
How about why does your team suck so bad in spite of ranking 4th or whatever they ranked?
You actually have a good tell when you’re about to go off the rails. You start a sentence with perhaps. That’s the sign that whatever follows is complete crap. Of course when you start a sentence with anything else you’re still full of crap just not spread as thick.
💩
"average" Americans (and yes i'm one of them) being suffocated by inflation on a daily basis, yet we're discussing the miserable plight of handsomely paid athletes who -- bless their hearts -- don't receive free meals or day care
could someone please pass me the world's smallest violin.......after i'm done shaking my head i'm gonna play the hell out of it
talk about a tone deaf poll
you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet
Yet another well written Classic post!!!
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
And ofcourse I'm in agreement with you
And that $11 bottle of water is one of the reasons I chose not to go to games.
Their business their rules to set their market. I'm totally fine with it but at the same time I reserve my right to saying 🖕🖕
My son sometimes gets free to kets to go to Twins and Vikings games. I went to one Twins game and a Vikings game.
Now, I say "no thank you" if he offers to take me for free.
I watch the Vikings and Twins from home. The water is free.
I call bull$hit.
These guys go for the most money or longest term contracts they can get.
Cousins did choose to come to Minnesota over the Jets, but I'm sure it was because the Jets have been a worse disaster than the Vikings and not the day care.
Very, very few players in ANY sport turn down money to play somewhere for less.
I agree the "poll" of the players is a bit inane. However, I've been in the world of business a long time, and what isn't inane is how things such as this can and do affect worker's performance, in this case NFL player's performance.
I could site many examples I've seen over the years of employees quitting their jobs for what may appear to an outsider, to be an insignificant reason to quit, but it wasn't insignificant to the employee.
I would agree, I couldn't care less about the already rich sports players. But the fact is that since around 7th grade or whatever, these star athletes get pampered in various ways, and when that doesn't continue on a pro level, at least some of them, perhaps most of them, can develop a bad attitude towards the owner and thus the team.
My main point, is it's simply bad business for any owner of any business, not to spend a few extra dollars percentage wise, to take good care of their employees to keep them happy and productive.
Come on, you have no discernable clue what went on in those contract negotiations or in the player's minds.
I agree that money is the main factor. But to believe that is the only factor, frankly is a bit naive. I'm sure there gets to a point whereby an athlete is so rich, that reasons other than the most money plays big into where they sign. In fact there is a long list of reasons.
The reasons already mentioned definitely play into it. The particular city plays into it and the location of the city. The current players on the team plays into it. The owner's personality plays into it, etc, etc.
Look at Billy Beane. He turned down a 12.5m dollar offer to stay with his family, and the owner who he adores to this day. That's one of numerous examples.
everything about Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys is bougie
could someone kindly let me know how many chips they have in the past quarter century
i'll hang up and listen now
you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet
Everyone else isnt an elite of the elite athletes putting their body under immense stress all day. They arent everyone else, and no everyone else doesnt have to do it either. Many companies particularly tech companies provie food. Meanwhile you have multiple billion dollar pro teams where between practice, meetings, working out, and recovery players are spending 12 hours or so a day at the facilities telling guys to go order Grubhub etc.
Its the equivalent of buying a a million dollar car and then refusing to spend a thousand dollars to change the oil
Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007
But they chose to put their bodies under immense stresses.
It's like paying a guy a $1000 an hour and offering to buy his lunch and babysit his kids every day lol
There was massive luck with Brady. Bledsoe stays healthy and Brady likely spends his NFL career as a backup
Its honestly crazy how many people dont seem to understand that everything impacts player performances and want multi-billion dollar teams to just tell players figure it out on everything so that they can have a extra 100k in profit when theyre already profiting at minimum 10s of millions a year and NFL teams are more like 9 figures a year.
Anyone thats ever played high level sports knows that the two most important things at those levels are being focused which anything off the field is a distraction, and being able to properly fuel the body for recovery and improvements. If i'm starving or hearing my wife complain about how she was treated I'll start making business decisions on the field which athletes do.
The athletes are nothing more than a product and they know it. Maybe a guy makes a little extra effort on a tackle if he buys into the team thing a little more instead of pulling up if he is just being told to "figure everything out" like hes an accountant in a cubicle
When colleges are treating players better than professionals teams and people are defending the pro owners something is wrong
Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007
Athletes are the product not the owners. It blows my mind people are arguing that billionaires that own multi-billion dollar NFL teams are arguing that players should be treated like an average Joe. They can do things that 99.999 percent of the world cant.
If somehow every NFL and college player just refused to play anymore and walked away the product is dead. If every owner walked away it makes little difference.
Why is it such a big deal to some people that players expect to have their families taken care of on game days, expect to have good food provided, good training facilities, good recovery facilities, and not be charges for minuscule things?
Those concessions in the stands are going to cost the same either way and are not a result of player salaries. Theyre contracted out rented space that teams get a cut of the sales not run by the teams
Revenue is all relative. Who cares if they make 1000 an hour if theyre bringing in 10000 an hour. No one makes more money than the owners
Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007
Ofcourse they are products, but again they chose to be that product.
To your point about if they walked away the product would be gone? Well nothing is stopping them from walking away if they are not happy with the extras that they are not given, these guys get paid for missing practices or games because they have a little injury that most of the time none of us would miss work over and the owners see that.
Very few of these guys have any loyalty to an owner unless he pays them top dollar, these are his or hers employees not his or her kids.
I don't support any of it outside of what I can watch on TV for free, I think the owners are greedy dirt bags and the players are just as greedy and a lot of times they are crappy employees
Perhaps we can start a GoFundMe page for Clark Hunt who inherited the Chiefs from his ultra-greedy father. Lamar Hunt who once tried to corner the silver market which is a nice way of saying manipulate the price on a commodity to screw those who need it.
All the obvious lusty greed in the Hunt family. Yet spending a few extra dollars and caring for their player's kids on game day is out of the question? Quite shameful really, as well as bad business.
Maybe Clark doesn't want to feed his players because then he would probably have to feed Andy Reid as well. Feeding Andy would be an expensive endeavor, so perhaps Clark is a better businessman than I thought. 😆
Didn't Tom Brady at least once, may have been more, alter his new contract in order to allow other players to receive more money under the salary cap? I had to admire that, and is one reason among many other reasons why I became a fan of his over the years.
But I agree with ya about the vast majority of players. Basically most of them are simply paid mercenaries. Although some can over the years develop a fondness for the team's area, and so they decide to spend the rest of their lives there.
I'm not arguing they dont choose to be it, but they are much more valuable which is the reason why the league is making close to if not over 20 billion a year and expanding with the + networks and such.
Its not a little injury most of the time and the worse a team treats them the less likely they are to try and take some pain killers and gut something out. This isnt Varsity Blues high school stuff.
Its really not a comparison either to to the majority of other jobs. Im not trying to demean other jobs at all, but replacing an elite athlete is much harder and you have to consider the value in terms of the revenue they bring.
Why should the players have loyalty to teams that would cut them in a second from an injury and wont guarantee contracts? Its a business
Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007
Brady diid take less money than he could have a lot of the time. He was also in a unique position where Giselle had way more money than him and he didnt need it. It was a great move on his part like what Othani did with his Dodgers contract but not everyone is in that kind of position to do so. A lot of other players started taking less towards the end to play with him like in Tampa to try and win with Brady as well. Harper actually did the same thing where he took more years at a lower AVV because he didnt want to uproot his family again
Brady, Harper, and Othani are outliers, but players dont always just take top dollar as long as the offer is close. For the NFL specially the career is generally so short they need to get what they can while they can especially since the vast majority of contracts arent guaranteed. There is a value to being in a good situation thats comfortable but that value only goes so far
Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007
Honestly I see both sides of it. I don't overly disagree with you it's more of a point counter point thing
I do enjoy the point counterpoint good discussions. I will pretty much always side with the players though knowing how teams will dump them in a second if they find it beneficial
Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007
Except for certain players.
I won't mention Kaepernick's name. 😆