The NFL's attempt to silence its players from grading their respective workplaces failed despite an official ruling from an arbitrator prohibiting the practice earlier this month. ESPN obtained the results of a player survey conducted at the end of 2025 in which franchises were ranked across multiple categories. One team in particular earned the worst marks across the board.
The Pittsburgh Steelers were ranked last in ownership, home field, locker room conditions, training room quality, training staff and strength coaching.
Steelers finish dead-last in leaked NFLPA survery
"[Steelers owner] Art Rooney ranks last in the league for willingness to invest in facilities, a trend reflected in the Steelers' poor facility ratings across the board," the survey said according to ESPN. "Players cite inadequate [facilities] maintenance and excessive wear from hosting local college and high school games. Players across the league note the poor condition of the field and emphasize the need for investment to bring it up to standard."
Rooney received a D grade in 2025, finishing above only three other owners - New England's Robert Kraft (D), Arizona's Michael Bidwell (D-) and New York Jets owner Woody Johnson (F).
The Steelers, NFL, and NFL Players Association all reportedly declined to comment on the leaked survey results.
Reason for Steelers' competitive stagnation is clear from player feedback
Pittsburgh fans and football pundits in general have been scratching their heads for a while now as to why the Steelers cannot seem to break out of a competitive funk that's anchored them to season finishes just above .500 and consistently led to early playoff exits. Well, we might finally understand from this brutally honest assessment from the players.
NFL football is a constant game of one-upping the competition, and players put in extra effort in order to get that edge over their opposition. But if the facilities and training guidance aren't up to snuff, teams aren't going to get better.
In 2025, the players rated the weight room with a C+ grade but that's clearly dropped significantly in just one year.
Acrisure Stadium is shared between the Steelers and the University of Pittsburgh during the season so there's bound to be excess wear and tear on the field. However, the field staff may not have the necessary resources to keep things up to standard. That could eventually come back to bite the team in the form of the turf monster if injuries begin to pile up.
Head coach Mike Tomlin, who earned an A grade in 2025, stepped down this year after 19 seasons but any speculation over his role in the organization dragging its feet to upgrade facilities wouldn't yield any meaningful analysis.
Mike McCarthy, hired this offseason, could get his tenure off to a strong start in the locker room by backing his players' needs and pressuring ownership to improve conditions. There's only so much work he and the staff can do on the field and in the meeting rooms if they're limited by the available resources and the quality of said resources.
Other leaked results from the NFLPA survey
Elsewhere, the Miami Dolphins continued their streak of remaining the top workplace in the league. Hard Rock Stadium's natural grass finished fourth overall, but former head coach Mike McDaniel dropped from his 2025 grade of A+ to a B.
"Players identify scheduling, communication, and leadership as key areas for head coaching improvement, presenting an opportunity for [new head coach Jeff] Hafley next season," the survey said.
Meanwhile, the Vikings earned the second-highest grade according to the survey results, with the Washington Commanders right behind them at third. On the Pittsburgh end of the spectrum as well, they were just worse than the Arizona Cardinals were at 31st — actually up one spot from finishing last a year ago — while the Browns held down their spot dubiously as the 30th-best team in the survey.