Commanders finish third in annual NFL players’ survey

The NFL Players Association isn’t publicly releasing its annual survey that asks athletes to grade their teams’ facilities, policies and benefits each offseason. An initial report indicated that the Commanders, who once ranked near the bottom of the league in most categories, surged up the survey leaderboards this year.

An ESPN report released on Thursday indicated that the Commanders finished with the third-best grades in the NFL, trailing only the Miami Dolphins and the Minnesota Vikings.

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished with the worst scores, followed by the Arizona Cardinals and the Cleveland Browns, the report said.

The Steelers reportedly dropped due to a new category that asked players to rank each team’s field. The athletes voiced concerns about Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium, which also hosts high school and college football games throughout the season.

The NFL filed a grievance against the players’ union to prevent the group from publicly displaying the surveys. An arbitrator ruled in the league’s favor, noting that the practice violated the collective bargaining agreement by disparaging teams.

The NFLPA still conducted the survey, though fans and media members are unable to see detailed results.

Two years ago, just after Commanders owner Josh Harris purchased the franchise from Dan Snyder, Washington recorded the worst survey results in the league. Last season, they rose to 11th.

Washington’s lowest grade this year was a B- for team travel and former defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., according to The Athletic. The team received an A+ for its ownership, head coach Dan Quinn and its strength coaches. 

Even the much-maligned home field at Northwest Stadium received a B+.

The Commanders are now considered the class of the NFL, according to the survey, after investing heavily in their Ashburn, Virginia, practice facility last summer. The team unveiled an overhauled locker room that featured larger lockers, additional storage, new showers and a fresh steam room.

“We’ve got everything now. Finally, bro. It’s been a long time coming,” former running back Brian Robinson Jr. told the team’s website last summer. “This is a blessing, bro. They went crazy.”

The improved survey scores were a clear goal for Harris.

“I’m not an F-minus guy,” he told NBC Sports Washington in 2024. “I didn’t even know you could get an F-minus. Obviously, we’ve jumped all over that.”