NFL players reveal the best and worst teams

The Miami Dolphins sit atop the standings, while the Pittsburgh Steelers bring up the rear.

This is the finding of a survey conducted by the NFL Players Association among players in the National Football League, the results of which were obtained by ESPN.

For the third consecutive year, Miami is considered the best organization in the league according to its own athletes. The Minnesota Vikings follow in second place, ahead of the New York Giants.entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline”>Minnesota Vikings are in second place, ahead of the Washington Commanders. At the other end of the rankings, Pittsburgh occupies 32nd and last place, a sharp decline compared to last year, when the team was ranked 28th. The Arizona Cardinals (31st) and the Cleveland Browns (30th) round out the bottom of the table.

A poll contested by the league

The survey, conducted for the fourth year, is based on responses from 1,759 eligible players during the 2025 season. Participants were asked to assign grades ranging from A+ to F- to various organizational aspects, including the quality of facilities, medical care, owner management, and treatment of families. However, the league, led by Commissioner Roger Goodell, takes a dim view of this process. The NFL filed a complaint, arguing that publishing the results violates the collective bargaining agreement by “denigrating clubs and players.” An arbitrator recently ruled in favor of the league, which is why the union has not publicly released the results this year, although it has confirmed that it intends to continue collecting data. Neither the NFL nor the NFLPA has officially commented on the findings revealed by ESPN.

Pittsburgh singled out

Criticism of the Steelers is widespread. Owner Art Rooney II ranks last in terms of infrastructure investment. The team's facilities received low marks in several categories. The Pittsburgh stadium came in last in a new category added this year. Players cited inadequate maintenance and significant wear and tear on the field, particularly due to the hosting of college games. The locker room received an F grade, with some mentioning a limited number of sanitary facilities for the entire team.

Paradoxically, while the team's physical trainers ranked last according to respondents, the medical team ranked first in the league.
On the Miami side, the facilities at Hard Rock Stadium are praised, particularly for the quality of the natural grass. However, former head coach Mike McDaniel's rating dropped from A+ to B, with players identifying areas for improvement in planning and communication.
Beyond the rankings, this survey highlights a sensitive issue: the working environment in the NFL. While the Dolphins are receiving praise, the controversy surrounding the validity of the process shows that the issue goes beyond a simple comparison chart. It touches on governance, transparency, and the sometimes tense relationship between the league and its players.