The NFL Players Association released its annual team report cards on Wednesday, in which players grade different aspects of the work environment with their teams.
The Rams ranked 20th overall in the survey. While they graded highly when it came to coaching and training staffs (head coach Sean McVay was ranked fourth leaguewide), players were critical of the Rams’ practice facilities, which have to this point been located in modular trailers on the Cal Lutheran campus.
“The strong grades for the staff – the players grade head coach Sean McVay very highly – “cover” for the lower grades for the facilities,” the NFLPA report read. “The team continues to promise a new facility but has yet to break ground. … Player respondents are skeptical that the new, temporary location will be a major improvement.”
Players graded the Rams’ locker room as a D+, which was 25th in the NFL as only 74% of players felt like the space was large enough. The training room and weight room each received a C- (both 28th out of 32). There were complaints of low hot tub and cold tub capacity in the former; and equipment quality and space issues in the latter.
“A majority of Rams players believe their facility is no better than offsite locations where they could train,” the NFLPA report read. “Only five other teams in the league have similarly poor impressions of their own weight room.”
Rams players graded their food and cafeteria options as a D, which was 29th leaguewide. They ranked 31st in food taste and 28th in food freshness and only 66% of players felt like they had enough seating in the cafeteria.
The organization is moving this offseason to Woodland Hills, where a permanent team headquarters will eventually be completed. But until that time, the Rams will be in a new temporary facility made up of modular trailers.
“It’s probably not a huge concern,” Rams general manager Les Snead said Tuesday when asked how this perception impacts free agents. “I know we have some long-term plans and vision. … When that time comes, we’ll probably get better marks. There is a side that some of us here really appreciate this because our culture is a lot about keeping football the main thing. … If we were a Power Five college football team, we’re struggling to recruit.”
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Another critical area for the Rams was the treatment of players’ families, receiving a D grade.
“We did discuss it,” Snead said. “I don’t know if some of that is facilities. I know last year traffic getting to and from games, things like that. … I would say big picture, we’ve always at the end of the day tried to treat player family, No. 1 with respect, obviously if we got dinged we might be missing out on some bells and whistles but I think at the core, we definitely want to treat everyone with respect.”
More than 1,700 players – up from about 1,300 last year – participated in the survey between August and November.