The NFL tea, according to its players

The second-annual NFL Players Association Team Report Cards, the result of a survey of 1,706 current players to find out information about their team across 11 different categories, were released this week (see the methodology). 

Some key takeaways:

• The Dolphins and Vikings are in a league of their own. For the second year in a row, Miami and Minnesota finished in the top two spots. Rounding out the top five teams were the Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Jacksonville Jaguars.
• While the Chiefs may be popular among Kansas City-residents and casual football fans, its players don’t necessarily agree. The Chiefs received the second-lowest team grade in the league – only the Washington Commanders were ranked worse.
• NFL life isn’t as glamorous as one may think. Cincinnati Bengals players reported that half of the showers in the locker room don’t work, and that there are five functioning toilets for the entire team. Tampa Bay Buccaneers players say they consistently see bugs in the showers, while Commanders players reported multiple sewage leaks in their facility. Many teams also charge for daycare.

👀 Looking ahead… This report is taken seriously across the league, with the release of the inaugural players’ survey last season resulting in some real changes. The Arizona Cardinals, for example, stopped charging players for meals – and the Jacksonville Jaguars opened a new training facility, which resulted in “no more rats," NFL Players Association president JC Tretter told ESPN.