The NFL Players Association has spoken up. Despite the arbitrary ruling in the NFL’s favor, which banned them from releasing the annual report card, the NFLPA has decided to share the card with the players nonetheless. 

NFL journalist Brooke Pryor shared an X post which detailed the development and reported that the major change is in the public’s access to the report cards.

“In an email sent to all players today and obtained by ESPN, the NFLPA reaffirmed its commitment to the report cards and noted the only thing changing is their ability to publicly share the results. The results of the 2026 report cards will be released to the players “soon,” Pryor wrote.

The NFLPA has hit back at the league and said the report card exists foremost for the players.

The union has also announced that it will continue surveying the players and share the results with the franchise owners directly.

The union also stood firm on the integrity of the surveys as the arbitrator ruled that the report card was based on anecdotes, which were “cherry-picked.”

They stated that the surveys were “fair and balanced.” And further added that the “NFL and its Clubs don’t want transparency when it comes to how they treat players.”

So What Went Down Really?

Well, earlier last week, the NFL sent a memo informing all the franchises that the players' association cannot publish their annual report cards publicly. 

This report card was essential in keeping the franchise owners and management in check, as they were evaluated on their ability to deal with a player’s grievances.  

And yet, the franchise owner claimed that this report card, a result of anonymous surveys, was unfair and that the “publication of Report Cards disparaging NFL clubs and individuals violates the Collective Bargaining Agreement.”

Hence, the franchise owners dismissed this process altogether. But they were heavily scrutinized by the public. Fan accused the franchise owners of evading accountability and neglecting player well-being.

This report did make a difference, as seen with the Arizona Cardinals. They were one of the bottom-ranking teams in 2024 but made massive improvements and were graded an 'A' this season.

So what do you think of the union’s decision? Do you think they should just continue to publish it publicly? Tell us in the comments and follow the Cleveland Browns Community for more.

Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Joyita Das