While the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine is underway, Wednesday morning had fans and media talking about something else…and it wasn’t prospective players in Indianapolis. The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) released their team report cards Wednesday and there was a lot to discuss for all 32 teams.

The Player Team Report Cards are back. Last year, the report cards led to players feeling more informed about their workplace & this year several new categories were added including Head Coach, Owner + Dietician/Nutritionist.
Take a look here: https://t.co/RV0ZNDNb2h. pic.twitter.com/vfEv6A7d2s

— NFLPA (@NFLPA) February 28, 2024

For the Pittsburgh Steelers, there were some questionable grades, but it is worth looking into each of the grades and not just skim the end result based on player and family questionnaires being answered. So, let’s avoid the knee jerk reaction and take a look at the complete grading system.

Here is what the NFLPA had to say:

The Pittsburgh Steelers ranked 28th this year. Unsurprisingly, the highest marks for the club go to head coach Mike Tomlin, with respondents reporting that he creates a great workplace culture by respecting them and their time. Beyond Mike Tomlin, in the opinion of responding players, the Steelers fall short and far behind workplace standards across the NFL. For example:

• They are one of four teams that do not provide their players’ families with either a family room or daycare on gameday.
• They are one of seven teams whose players feel their weight room is no better than where they could train offsite.
• The players feel like they lack the necessary staffing in the training room to receive the appropriate amount of individualized care.
• There is little confidence among respondents in the willingness of club owner Art Rooney II to invest in a better workplace, as he ranks second to last in this year’s report. Read more about the improvements required of the Steelers organization in nearly every category below.

Okay, with that out of the way, let’s take a look at the complete grades, and the reasoning behind the grades. Some of these grades are…interesting.

Treatment of Families: F-

• They are one of 12 teams that do not provide a family room during games
• They are one of seven teams that provide no daycare support for players’ children on gameday
• They are one of only four teams that do not offer either a family room or daycare
• The top ways players feel the treatment of their families could be improved is by offering a family room and daycare services like the majority of other teams do

Food/Cafeteria: B-

• They rank 14th overall in food taste
• They rank 14th overall in food freshness

Nutritionist/Dietician: D

• The players gave their dietician the third-lowest grade in the NFL
• Only 67% of players feel like they get an individualized plan (27th overall)

Locker Room: F

• Only 60% of players feel like the locker room is big enough (28th overall)
• Only 65% of players feel like they have enough room in their individual lockers (29th overall)
• The most common change players would like to see is a locker room renovation, including replacement of outdated lockers and overall expansion

Training Room: D+

• Only 79% of players feel they have enough full-time trainers (27th overall)
• Only 61% of players feel they have enough full-time physical therapists (30th overall) 81% of players feel they have enough hot tub space (19th overall)
• 83% of players feel they have enough cold tub space (20th overall)
• Many players feel they need greater access to individual care. Some feel the training room is understaffed and lacks the necessary equipment and modalities that should be standard in NFL training rooms.
• They also would like the team to add a sauna, which most teams in the NFL offer

Training Staff: C

• 80% of players feel like they receive enough one-on-one treatment (26th overall)
• The players feel that the training staff only slightly contributes to their success (28th overall)

Weight Room: C

• The players feel the quality of the equipment in the weight room is average (28th overall)
• The players feel like they do not have enough space in the weight room (23rd overall)
• A majority of Steelers believe their facility is no better than where they could otherwise train offsite. Only five other teams in the league have similarly poor impressions of their own weight room.
• Several players feel the weight room needs to be expanded to prevent waiting at most of the machines to get their lift in. Some feel they lack the equipment that they would expect at a high-quality facility.

Strength Coaches: B+

• 95% of players feel like they get an individualized plan (9th overall)
• The players feel that the strength coaches moderately contribute to their success (23rd overall)

Team Travel: D

• The players’ ratings of their travel schedule position it as the third-worst travel schedule in the NFL
• 80% of the players feel like they have a comfortable amount of personal space (20th overall)
• The Steelers do not require that any players have roommates before games

Head Coach: A

The Steelers players give high ratings to Mike Tomlin, making him one of the highest-ranked head coaches in the NFL (5th overall).

• Mike Tomlin receives a 9.60/10 individual rating from his players (5th overall)
• 98% of players feel Mike Tomlin is efficient with their time (6th overall)
• The players feel that Mike Tomlin is very willing to listen to the locker room (9th overall)

Ownership: F

• Club owner Art Rooney II receives a rating of 5.8/10 from the Steelers players when considering his willingness to invest in the facilities (31st overall)

When you look at the grades, and the explanation for those grades, what do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers.