The NFL Gamers Affiliation launched its second-annual “Crew Report Playing cards” on Wednesday. For the second straight yr, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs have been graded poorly, rating thirty first of 32 groups primarily based upon the submissions of 1,700-plus gamers who have been on league rosters in 2023. Kansas Metropolis truly managed to drop from twenty ninth a yr in the past to thirty first for 2023.
The NFLPA’s “Report Card” offers grades for every crew’s therapy of households, meals high quality, diet packages, locker, coaching and weight rooms, coaching employees, energy coaches, journey strategies, head coaches and house owners.
Right here is the overview of Kansas Metropolis’s analysis:
Overview
The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are available second to final place amongst NFL golf equipment on this yr’s survey. The one brilliant spot for the crew is head coach Andy Reid, who was the very best rated head coach within the NFL. Apart from that, the gamers are annoyed by their office choices, particularly after the crew’s sustained success in recent times.
The responses establish main points in two areas: high quality of care and out-of-date amenities.
The primary grievance in relation to the amenities is the locker room. Although the gamers obtained precise chairs with backs to sit down in at their lockers in response to final yr’s suggestions, it didn’t change the truth that the locker room is overdue for a renovation. What provides to the frustration is that administration instructed the gamers that renovations would come after the 2022 season. The gamers went on to win the Tremendous Bowl and after they arrived again at their facility for the 2023-2024 season, they realized the crew by no means adopted by way of with the promised renovation (aside from including chairs).
The gamers’ situation with high quality of care is generally centered across the coaching room. The gamers really feel that the coaching room is considerably understaffed, with solely 43% of the crew responding that they get an sufficient quantity of one-on-one therapy time. Gamers really feel that the employees is unwilling to offer the required therapy to help restoration and efficiency; for instance, gamers usually are not allowed to get preventative therapy (mushy tissue work, different care) for soreness and day-to-day points, a daily providing throughout the NFL.
From the outcomes, it’s clear that there has not been a big reinvestment again into the amenities even after constant success. That has led to a excessive stage of frustration amongst participant respondents and displays in membership proprietor Clark Hunt’s rating because the least prepared to spend money on crew amenities amongst all NFL house owners/possession group within the opinions of the respondents.
As was famous final yr, the Chiefs’ coaching facility (the College of Kansas Hospital Arrowhead Coaching Advanced) might use some refurbishing (it was final up to date in 2007). On the time, we stated it appeared considerably farfetched to imagine proprietor Clark Hunt could be unwilling to make that occur. To be clear, Hunt had simply paid $2.5 million to improve the Arrowhead Stadium locker rooms, however the gamers spend the vast majority of the time making ready for video games on the coaching facility.
It appears like one of many solely upgrades made to that coaching facility’s locker room was so as to add chairs with seat backs over the stools. The report signifies that this unfulfilled promise for a facility improve is what led to an especially poor score for Hunt.
Final yr’s poor coaching grade particularly cited vice chairman of sports activities drugs and efficiency (and head athletic coach) Rick Burkholder by title. His title by no means seems on this yr’s report. It does say, nevertheless, that the “head coach” obtained the league’s second-lowest total grade.
As an entire, this yr’s version factors extra to the issues with the coaching room, with gamers noting they really feel trainers are understaffed. Lower than half of voters suppose they get sufficient one-on-one therapy time — and it appears like gamers are being provided little in the best way of preventative therapy.
Let’s get to the grades and different notes:
The grades
Household therapy: D+ (18th)
The report notes Arrowhead has a household room, however the membership doesn’t supply daycare onsite for youngsters, besides on gameday. It’s the identical grade as final yr.
Meals service: C- (twenty sixth)
The report signifies that meals style and freshness are beneath league common. Nonetheless, the grade of C- is an enchancment from D+ final yr.
Nutritionist: F (thirty first)
Gamers gave the Chiefs’ nutritionist the second-lowest particular person grade within the league, citing that they’re hardly ever across the constructing. Solely 37% of gamers really feel like they’ve obtained a novel diet plan. There was no nutritionist grade final yr.
Locker room: F (twenty eighth)
74% of gamers really feel just like the locker room is sufficiently big and 63% really feel like they’ve sufficient room of their lockers, however league ranks indicate that these numbers must be a lot nearer to 100%. As talked about, there was no full renovation of the observe facility locker room. Some gamers complained that this was promised. This can be a step again from final yr when the Chiefs obtained a D- for the locker room.
Coaching room: D (thirty first)
The variety of gamers who imagine the crew has sufficient full-time trainers (66%), full-time therapists (48%), scorching tub house (82%) and chilly tub house (81%) all rank within the backside half of the league. As famous above, the report exhibits that these numbers must be near 100%. The coaching room dropped from D+ to D yr to yr.
Coaching employees: F (thirty second)
The report says the Chiefs have the second-worst coaching employees within the NFL, once more stemming from what they listing this yr as “the pinnacle coach.” Final yr’s report made it clear his employees members have been well-liked. Chiefs’ trainers obtained the league’s lowest rating for contributions to their crew’s success. It appears like some gamers really feel just like the trainers are selective through which gamers they might be prepared to deal with. The coaching employees dipped from D- in 2022 to F in 2023.
Weight room: C+ (twenty third)
The Chiefs’ weight room choices are described as “common,” with gamers saying they don’t have sufficient room to coach successfully. Solely the Chiefs (and 5 different groups) notice that their weight room isn’t any higher than someplace they may prepare off-site. The Chiefs’ weight room maintained its C+ grade from final yr.
Power coaches: C+ (twenty seventh)
76% of gamers really feel like they get a person plan — which appears like quite a bit, ranks thirtieth within the league. Gamers notice that their energy coaches reasonably contribute to their success (twenty fourth total). There was no particular energy coach grade final yr.
Crew journey: D (twenty seventh)
83% of gamers say they’ve sufficient private house throughout journey, an enchancment from 59% final yr. The report famous that the Chiefs are certainly one of seven NFL groups that home gamers with roommates earlier than a recreation. The crew journey grade improved from F to D for the 2023 season.
Head coach: A+ (1st)
In contrast to each different class listed, the Chiefs clear up relating to their head coach Andy Reid, who was given the league’s finest particular person score. 95% of gamers stated Reid is environment friendly with their time (eleventh). In terms of listening to the locker room, Reid graded sixth total. There was no head coach grade final yr.
Proprietor: F- (thirty second)
The report means that Hunt’s failure to meet a promise about observe facility renovations led to this grade. It’s unclear what his grade would have been if the renovations had been made.
The underside line
Going by the year-to-year report playing cards, it appears the Chiefs took one (and maybe just one) matter severely: that observe facility stools wanted to get replaced with chairs with backs. Gamers appeared particularly upset a few promised locker room renovation that by no means occurred.
For what it’s value, the overall lack of enchancment in grades did nothing to Kansas Metropolis’s outcomes on the sphere, which as soon as once more translated to a Tremendous Bowl championship. However it does beg an vital query:
How would Kansas Metropolis be impacted on the sphere if it wasn’t for its A+ head coach?
