Bengals rank near bottom of league in NFLPA report card grades

Much progress has been made within the Cincinnati Bengals’ organization, but there’s apparently ample room for improvement.

The NFLPA released its first annual Player Team Report Cards heading into the 2023-24 league year, which has grades for several different categories to do with facilities and staffing. 1,300 NFL players partook in the report back in March of 2022.

The Bengals ended up at 27th in terms of overall grade.

Notable marks include an F- in Food Service/Nutrition, an F in Treatment of Families, and a D- in Training Room.

The Bengals are one of three teams that do not provide dinner to their players; they are also one of two teams that do not provide vitamins, and they are the only team that doesn’t provide supplements. Additionally, players feel that they have some of the smallest hot/cold tubs in the league; they have issues with the showers and toilets not consistently working, and they are the only team that does not have outlets in their lockers to charge devices.

Logistically, these are issues that can be solved, but it comes down to ownership making it happen. The surveyed players still rank team owner and president Mike Brown as one of the least likely owners to spend on improving his team’s facilities.

These examples are consistent with players’ opinions, with only 44% of respondents believing club owner Mike Brown is willing to spend money to make the facility better, ranking him tied for 29^th in this category.

Head coach Zac Taylor fared well with the players, and many of them credit the fourth-year coach “for recent improvements that have been made—which speaks to why he grades out as one of the most well-liked coaches in the NFL by his players.”

The team also graded out highly in Weight Room (B+), Strength Coaches (A), and Training Staff (A).

What do you think about these grades? Will the Bengals rank higher in next year’s report card? Let us know in the comments!