NFL Challenges NFLPA: Files Grievance to Halt Report Cards

The NFL has filed a grievance against the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), seeking to halt the annual team report cards. The league argues that these report cards violate the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) by allowing public criticism of teams. This issue has sparked significant discussion among players and league officials.

NFL’s Grievance Against NFLPA

The grievance claims that the player feedback collected in the report cards undermines the CBA’s clause. This clause encourages both NFL owners and the NFLPA to limit public commentary that criticizes franchises, coaches, or operational policies. According to an August letter to NFLPA general counsel Tom DePaso, the NFL’s management council states this public criticism is damaging.

Union’s Response

Despite the grievance, the NFLPA communicated to players last week that they intend to proceed with this year’s survey. The union emphasized that the report cards serve as a vital tool for assessing workplace conditions across the league. They rejected the league’s request to halt the surveys and aim to fight the grievance actively.

Purpose of the Report Cards

• The report cards assess various aspects of team operations, including family services and training staff.
• During the 2025 season, 1,695 players participated in the surveys.
• Teams receive grades from A to F based on player feedback.

The data revealed that several teams improved their scores significantly. Notably, nine teams raised their family services score significantly, while 12 teams improved their travel ratings by two or more grades.

Concerns from NFL Owners

At a recent NFL owners meeting, the issue of report cards attracted attention. Team owners expressed concerns that the report cards provide vague feedback without detailing how teams can improve. Some franchise executives view these grades as an instrument for criticism rather than constructive feedback.

New York Jets chairman Woody Johnson described the survey as “totally bogus,” arguing that it did not properly follow the agreed-upon collection methods. He and other owners are unhappy that the process lacks transparency and fails to represent the overall player base fairly.

Timeline and Future Steps

Sources indicate that the NFL hopes to resolve this grievance through arbitration in December. The anticipated decision could come as early as February 2026. Both sides are preparing for a prolonged discussion over the implications of such report cards on the NFL’s working environment.

As the league and union navigate these contentious issues, the impact of player feedback on overall workplace conditions remains a pivotal topic of debate in the NFL.