Dolphins, Vikings top players' survey of NFL teams; Chiefs 31st - ESPN

INDIANAPOLIS — The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs were the second-lowest graded team in the NFL — ahead of only the Washington Commanders — in the second annual «report card» that ranks teams according to various categories based on the results of player surveys.

More than 1,700 players — up from about 1,300 last year — participated in the survey between August and November, which was released by the NFLPA on Wednesday. Players were asked to grade their teams on a wide variety of subjects, ranging from team facilities to coaching staffs to owners.

The top two teams in the overall survey were the same as last year, though they switched places, with the Miami Dolphins finishing ahead of the Minnesota Vikings this year.

But the Chiefs' ranking stands out, particularly in light of the fact that Andy Reid ranked first overall among 32 teams in the head-coach category, which is new this year and heavily weighted in the final grade.

Chiefs owner Clark Hunt ranked last out of 32 team owners. Those grades were based on what players perceived as a willingness to invest in the team's facilities. The Chiefs ranked 26th in the food/cafeteria category, 31st in the nutritionist/dietician category, 31st in training room and 32nd in training staff.

«To me, this is not a shaming exercise,» NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell said. «We want to highlight teams that are doing well but also highlight areas for improvement.»

The Chiefs stand out because they ranked poorly in many of the same categories last year. One specific criticism that Chiefs players had was that they had stools instead of actual chairs in their locker room, and the team did switch to chairs this year, according to the NFLPA.

Chiefs players