Around the NFL: Report Cards Ruling, Diggs Pleads Not Guilty, More

"According to a memo the league sent to all 32 teams on Friday, the arbitrator determined that the public release of the report cards was disparaging toward clubs and individuals and ordered the NFLPA to stop publishing or publicly disclosing the results. The NFLPA began issuing the report cards in 2023, surveying players anonymously about working conditions - including facilities, travel, family accommodations, training staff, and cafeteria setups - and assigning letter grades to each team."

"The union released the findings during Combine week, framing the exercise as a way to increase transparency and push teams to improve player environments. The response from owners was mixed. Some organizations upgraded facilities, expanded training staffs, and enhanced family spaces after receiving poor marks. Others bristled at the public nature of the grades, arguing that the survey methodology lacked transparency and that existing channels already allowed players to raise concerns internally."

"The arbitrator sided with the league, agreeing that questions about the survey's methodology and execution undermined the process. In its memo to teams, the NFL said the NFLPA refused to provide underlying data from prior surveys and admitted during the hearing that union staff selected which responses, quotes, and topics were included, as well as how categories were weighted in determining final grades."

An arbitrator found that the NFL Players Association violated the collective bargaining agreement by publishing team report cards based on anonymous player surveys and ordered the NFLPA to cease public disclosure. The surveys, started in 2023, graded teams on facilities, travel, family accommodations, training staff, and cafeterias. Some clubs used poor marks to upgrade facilities and staff, while others criticized the public grades and questioned survey methodology. The league said the NFLPA withheld underlying data and admitted selecting which responses, quotes, topics, and weightings to use. The NFL expressed willingness to collaborate on a jointly administered, scientifically valid survey.

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