Even when the Houston Texans were at the rock bottom of the NFL in terms of their on field product, ownership and upper management were doing their best to create a work environment that was conducive to success at some point, in terms of the football operations back office stuff (weight room, cafeteria, etc.) and the way they treated players’ families.
That has been reflected on an annual basis in the annual NFL Players Association survey, where players grade their employer in a variety of categories. Despite a three year period in which they won 11 games from 2020 through 2022, the Texans largely scored well in how they treated players behind the scenes, scoring 4th overall among the 32 NFL teams in 2022.
Well, the 2023 survey results were released on Wednesday, and the Texans are still in the upper quartile of the NFL overall in the eyes of there players, coming at 7th overall this past season. Here are the Texans’ grades in the various categories on which the players graded them:
Treatment of families: B+
Food/Cafeteria: A-
Nutritionist/Dietician: A-
Locker room: B
Training room: B+
Training staff: B+
Weight room: B
Strength coaches: B
Team travel: B-
Head coach: A-
Owner: B+
Yes, you read that last part correct! For the first time in the history of this survey, the players got to grade their head coach and owner! My guess is that there are many Texan fans surprised that Ryans got an A-, as I think most of Houston sees DeMeco Ryans as infallible, and if you give him a grade below A+, then that’s a “YOU” problem.
As for ownership, even when the team wasn’t good, I think the players in the building saw the McNairs as good people who were investing in the team. They just weren’t making great decisions on to whom they gave power and control. I think, even in a season like 2022, with a 3-13-1 record, players would have given the McNairs at least a B. They’re making much better decisions now, and the B+ grade for 2023 feels about right.
One of the best parts of this exercise are the stories that emerge from the most poorly run of the NFL franchises. Here are a few of my favorites:
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
I guess free daycare on game days is a thing for most NFL teams, so the fact that the Los Angeles Chargers charge (no pun intended) their players $75 for the first kid and $50 for each additional kid for game day day care is sort of a thing. The other team that charges for day care….
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
…. the Bucs, who charge $90 per kid, but that’s just the beginning of the Bucs’ issues in the survey. Their locker room reportedly has a certain unpleasant odor to it, their showers have bugs, and players still on their rookie deals have to have a roommate when they travel to road games, unless they pay a $1,750 fee before the season.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
The Commanders were able to get out from under the Daniel Snyder regime, when the hated owner sold the team to Josh Harris last summer, but the new ownership group has plenty to fix, including sewage leaks in the stadium and locker room.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
The Bengals have long been a notoriously cheap franchise. When Johnathan Joseph signed with the Texans in 2011, coming over from Cincy, he told stories about getting charged for Gatorade and socks in the team facility. Currently, the main complaint from Bengal players is the non working showers and lack of toilets, five total, for the whole team in their locker room.
TENNESSEE TITANS
The Titans reportedly make the players sit in the small seats in the back of the team plane, while staff sits in the lap of luxury up front. Also, the Titans are one of seven teams who make ALL players bunk with a roommate on road games.
Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast, on Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
