In the shadow of the second annual NFLPA Club Report Cards, two titans of the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs and the New England Patriots, found themselves receiving less-than-stellar grades for ownership and front office. Their status as elite forces within the league remains undisputed, despite the evaluations. The Patriots have long been considered a dynasty, with their past filled with victories and championships. On the other hand, the Chiefs are the current standard-bearers of excellence in the NFL.
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Despite this detailed feedback mechanism aiming to raise workplace standards, the Chiefs and Patriots have shown that success on the field isn’t directly correlated to these grades. A former offensive tackle for the Chiefs and a Super Bowl winner, Mitchell Schwartz, sheds light on why certain aspects of the NFLPA survey might not hold as much weight as one would think.
I think some of the NFLPA survey stuff is great, has merit, and needs to come to light for ownership to be shamed into making changes. But I do think some of it is kind of pointless, and it seems to be mostly related to how recently renovated the locker and training rooms are.
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) February 28, 2024
That stuff is easy to compare to newer builds and feel like you don’t have the best accommodations. But those things are not really important in our day to day life and surely don’t lead to on field success. It’s basically the college recruiting arms race come to the NFL.
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) February 28, 2024
To express his views on the NFLPA survey results, Mitchell Schwartz took to Twitter. He acknowledged the value of bringing certain issues to light and pushing for ownership to make the necessary changes. According to him, the emphasis on facilities—how new or renovated the locker and training rooms are—doesn’t play a significant role in a player’s day-to-day life or their performance on the field.
Free agents choose teams in the NFL based on:
1) Money
2) Money
3) WinningCFB had an arms race because the facilities are/were part of the draw, before they got paid. Not one NFL FA is choosing a team based on new practice facility lockers and more efficient hot/cold tub setups https://t.co/N4RpqfopeQ
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) February 29, 2024
“But those things are not really important in our day-to-day lives and surely don’t lead to on-field success,” Schwartz remarked, highlighting a shift in priorities that doesn’t necessarily translate to professional success. He then boiled down the criteria that truly matter to free agents when choosing a team: money, money, and winning. The allure of state-of-the-art facilities pales in comparison to the financial rewards and the prospect of securing victories.
NFLPA’s Initiative to Create a “Free Agency Guide”
Offering insights into the working conditions across the league, the NFLPA’s initiative to create a “Free Agency Guide” has illuminated the daily experiences of players and their families. The feedback has become even more significant with a notable increase in player participation in the survey—from a 60% participation rate to over 77%.
Covering more categories and providing deeper insights into the player experience, this year, with the help of Artemis Strategy Group, the survey expanded. The NFLPA’s annual survey saw a remarkable increase in participation this year, with over 1,706 players—up from 1,300 last year—sharing their feedback, showing a leap in engagement to more than 77%.
The experiences of teams like the Chiefs and Patriots remind us that the grades do not solely define excellence on a report card but by the enduring spirit of competition, financial stability, and the relentless pursuit of victory.
