CINCINNATI — Of the 32 teams across the NFL, the Cincinnati Bengals ranked 24th overall in the NFL Players Association's team report cards.
The NFLPA's report cards grade teams A+ through F- on various categories, such as training staff, weight room quality and the treatment of families. The report cards are created with input from current players.
The Bengals received an "F" and "F-" in two of the 11 categories graded, but they did improve overall from their 26th ranking in 2024.
"The Cincinnati Bengals finish 24th, but to their credit, the club has made significant changes over the last two years," the report card reads. "They rebuilt the team's training room and locker room, and they increased the number of meals provided for their players during the week."
Cincinnati received an "F-" and is ranked 32nd in treatment of families, with the report card saying "The Bengals are one of only 3 teams that do not offer daycare during home games and one of only 10 teams that do not offer a family room during home games."
It goes on to say that the Bengals are the only team in the NFL that fails to offer one of those two benefits. The only other team to receive some type of "F" rating in the category was the Jacksonville Jaguars who received an "F."
According to the report card, one player described the treatment of families as "almost disrespectful."
Cincinnati also received an "F" and is ranked 32nd in their food/dining area. According to the report card, Cincinnati does not provide three meals a day to players and is one of only two teams in the NFL to not do so.
The Bengals were the only NFL team to receive an "F" grade for their dining area, with the Arizona Cardinals and the New Orleans Saints close behind both with a "D-."
Despite Cincinnati's rating, the report card says "food is an area around which the team has continued to improve," saying last year they introduced Wednesday dinners, and this year they introduced breakfast for players who train and work at the facility on their off days.
While the Bengals received a "C" grade for their dietitian, they're still the lowest-ranked team for that category in the league. According to the report card, Cincinnati players want the team's dietitian to be hired full-time, whereas she's only in the building two days a week currently and has limited resources.
Only 41% of players with Bengals report that they're given an individualized nutrition plan, which has also led to Cincinnati's 32 out of 32 teams ranking.
Out of the other 31 teams, the Washington Commanders, New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers received a "C+" for their dietitians.
The Bengals' report card also positively notes that the team hired people that players enjoy working with.
"When asked what the team does best, the players consistently point to the leadership of head coach Zac Taylor and mention the hard-working support staff," the report card says.
Per the report card, Cincinnati received an "A" rating for its head coach, ranking 9th in the league.
Cincinnati received its highest rating and ranking with its locker room, sitting at an "A+" grade and 3rd in the league. Other than head coach and locker room, the Bengals received an "A" of some sort for team travel, strength coaches and training staff.
The only other "C" the team received other than dietitian was Cincinnati's ownership, ranking 25th overall. According to the report card, owner Mike Brown's average player rating for his perceived willingness to invest in facilities was 7.23/10. Players also said that Brown only "slightly contributes" to a positive team culture and is "somewhat committed" to building a competitive team.
To read the Bengals' full report card, click here.
