On Wednesday, the NFL Players Association released its third annual report cards for the league’s 32 teams. Nearly 1,700 players shared with their union information about their team’s facilities, treatment of their families and more.
Here are four surprising takeaways from the NFC South.
Atlanta Falcons: Team is all-in on head coach Raheem Morris
Despite a messy situation with quarterback Kirk Cousins, the team is fully on board with its second-year head coach. The NFLPA found that Morris was “one of six coaches across the league to receive a perfect score” when players evaluated his efficiency with their time.
“Players feel Morris is highly receptive to locker room feedback … ranking him 2 out of 32 head coaches,” the report card continued. In Week 16, Morris benched Cousins for rookie QB Michael Penix Jr. after a five-game stretch in which the 13-year veteran went 99-of-158 (62.7 percent) for 1,180 yards (7.5 yards per attempt), one touchdown and nine interceptions.
New Orleans Saints: Lagging behind in treatment of families
New Orleans rolled out the red carpet for Super Bowl LIX, so why can’t the Saints do the same for players’ families during the season? Per the NFLPA, New Orleans is “one of 10 teams that [does] not offer a family room during home games.”
The Saints ranked 22nd overall in treatment of families, with respondents noting the team rarely holds family events. However, it wasn’t all negative in this area for New Orleans. It received the fourth-highest rating for its post-game family area, underscoring how much work it must do in other aspects related to players’ families.
Carolina Panthers: First-class problems
It comes as no surprise that owner David Tepper received one of the league’s worst grades, ranking 31st with a D-minus.
The biggest revelation in Carolina’s 2025 report card was first-year coach Dave Canales’ decision to move players to economy seating on team flights while the staff sits in first class.
Last season, the Panthers received a B-minus in team travel, ranking just outside the top 10 at No. 11. This year, they fell to 29th and earned a D. Carolina went 2-6 in road games and was outscored by an average of 16.3 points per game, including three losses by more than 30 points.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The worst of the NFC South
Despite owning the division this decade, the Bucs surprisingly received the NFC South’s worst grade, ranking 27th of the 32 NFL franchises.
The NFLPA report card’s overview noted the organization’s top marks came from its personnel, with director of performance nutrition Jessica Pastuf and head strength and conditioning coach Anthony Piroli standing out.
Issues arose with the team’s facilities and ownership. The report card found that Tampa Bay’s locker room ranked No. 21, its training room No. 24 and the weight room No. 19. Players were also critical of the Glazer family’s ownership, ranking them No. 27 in “perceived willingness to invest in the facilities.” Players also reported that they only feel the Glazers “slightly contribute” to the team’s overall success.
