Commanders players say Washington franchise was the worst NFL team to play for during 2023 season

For the second year in a row, the Washington Commanders franchise is considered the worst place to work in the NFL – by its own players. The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) released its annual Player Team Report Cards on Wednesday, where "1,706 of our players provided information to share with one another about their current club, […]

Evan Winter — NFL Managing Editor

Feb 28, 2024 11:35 AM EST

For the second year in a row, the Washington Commanders franchise is considered the worst place to work in the NFL – by its own players. 

The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) released its annual Player Team Report Cards on Wednesday, where "1,706 of our players provided information to share with one another about their current club, to not only help them make important career decisions, but also help raise standards across the league."

Per the NFLPA's website, "our goals were to highlight positive clubs, identify areas that could use improvement, and highlight best practices and standards."

It's not much of a surprise, considering the franchise's reputation under former owner Daniel Snyder. The stench from that era will linger for a while unless the Commanders immediately start winning at a high level under new managing partner, Josh Harris. And that obviously didn't happen in 2023.

Below are the final grades for the Commanders in each category:

Overall, the franchise received an F-, which is obviously the worst grade one can receive. And honestly, what's most appalling is the treatment of families. How can a professional franchise not have suitable environments for family members? 

The report card listed the problems, below, as the key components behind the final grade:

• They are one of 12 teams that do not provide a family room during games
• They are one of seven teams that provide no daycare support for players’ children on gameday
• They are one of four teams that do not offer either a family room or daycare
• Some returning players report some improvements compared to last year, including a few new family events and a better, more private post-game family area
• Many players want the team to offer daycare and a family room like most teams in the NFL

Commanders' infrastructure is also in dire need of upgrades

The survey data reveals a long list of items with the workplace that continue to be problems, and players expressed that they have grown tired of the deficiencies. To start, the locker room is small and in desperate need of renovation, with players reporting multiple sewage leaks. The training room is significantly understaffed, with only 52% of players saying they receive an adequate amount of one-on-one treatment time for injury recovery and prevention. Equipment in the weight room and training room was described as below the standards required of a professional sports franchise, and the Commanders are one of seven teams where players believe the club’s facility is no better than other places they could train offsite.

When asked what the number one issue respondents want to prioritize for fixing, most players couldn’t come up with just one. Instead, the common answer was the entire facility. – 2024 NFLPA Player Team Report Card review

The idea players are getting tired of the facilities is an eyebrow-raising statement. More specifically, the report cited "multiple sewage leaks" in the locker room and the hot/cold tubs weren't sanitary enough.

The good news is there is new ownership in town and this falls squarely on the shoulders of Harris and co. Hopefully, that happens sooner than later. According to the report card, players are "hopeful" it will and the players gave him an 8.6/10 rating when it comes to his willingness to invest in facilities.

Speaking of hopeful, I'm sure Harris hopes this is the last time the Commanders come in last in this context. There's nowhere to go but up, but it's obvious he needs to make some big changes, very soon.