Steelers are the worst team, according to NFL players

[TimmayLake]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/480 ... lpa-survey

For the third consecutive year, the Miami Dolphins ranked first overall in the NFL Players Association annual report cards, according to survey results obtained by ESPN. The Minnesota Vikings finished second overall in 2026, followed by the Washington Commanders in third.

Regarding the Dolphins, the NFLPA survey wrote: "Players consistently describe the organization as 'the best in the NFL.'"

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished in last place for the first time in the four-year history of the union's survey. Last year, the Steelers ranked 28th. The Arizona Cardinals finished 31st in the 2026 survey, after a last-place finish in 2025, and the Cleveland Browns finished in 30th, the same as in 2025.

I suppose the Rooney's have earned their reputation.

[langer]

But what about the STORIED HISTORY and CONSISTENCY and STEELER PRIDE and all that bullshit.

LOL

[Gonzo]

something about how a fish rots

[Orlaco]

Before people click on the article …it’s about the facilities and strength coaches.

I had season tickets the first year after that stadium was built, and at the first game I attended I said, “ this place is a dump”. … short of the open ended end zone view of the city.

Doesn’t surprise me that it extended past the fan experience and into the players work-place.

———

Steelers did EVERYTHING wrong (building the stadium), while still doing pretty good building teams. The Pirates did EVERYTHING right building PNC Park while doing everything wrong building teams.

[TimmayLake]

The Steelers received low grades in several categories, according to the results obtained by ESPN.

"[Steelers owner] Art Rooney ranks last in the league for willingness to invest in facilities, a trend reflected in the Steelers' poor facility ratings across the board," the survey said.

In a new category added this year, the Steelers had the lowest-rated home field in the league "by a wide margin."

"Players cite inadequate maintenance and excessive wear from hosting local college and high school games," the survey said. "Players across the league note the poor condition of the field and emphasize the need for investment to bring it up to standard."

The Steelers' locker room was graded an F. Players reported that it "has only five bathroom stalls for the entire team."

Per the survey, players report that the Steelers' training room lacks updated recovery technology and "modalities." Pittsburgh's strength coaches ranked last in the NFL, though the training staff ranked first.

[.Kodiak]

The Steelers' locker room was graded an F. Players reported that it "has only five bathroom stalls for the entire team."[/b]

That and the playing field are legit gripes. My gawd imagine being 3rd in line to use the crapper behind Cam and Mt. Washington.

[Dan Smith--BYU]

"My gawd imagine being 3rd in line to use the crapper behind Cam and Mt. Washington"

Najee Davenport vindicated.

[CKSteeler]

The Dolphins just fired their head coach and haven't won a playoff game since 2000.

I get it is fun to take shots at Art II, but there's pretty much no correlation here between what players bitch about and team rankings. As a fan, I care about what's on the field. I don't care how pampered the players feel.

They rate coaches as part of this exercise. I'm not sure how they determine overall team grades. How did Miami rank #1? How'd they rate their recently fired head coach? Perhaps they gave him a A+ for allowing the inmates to run the asylum as that's how it appeared. Tomlin also routinely received sterling marks. May or may not have been because he did the same.

[CKSteeler]

"My gawd imagine being 3rd in line to use the crapper behind Cam and Mt. Washington"

Najee Davenport vindicated.

I didn't realize until recently that the whole race norming case against the league was brought by The Dumptruck. I don't know if I'd have wanted my poster boy for the league's racism in assuming lower cognitive skills for black players as a baseline being the guy whose most notable achievement was taking a dump in his girlfriend's closet in college and the fact that Mike Tomlin inexplicably allowed him to return kicks with a 4.9 40.

[jebrick]

how do you build a new stadium with only 5 bathroom stalls for the entire team?

[.Kodiak]

how do you build a new stadium with only 5 bathroom stalls for the entire team?

Has to be why the offense shits all over the field

[Texas Steel]

The Dolphins just fired their head coach and haven't won a playoff game since 2000.

I get it is fun to take shots at Art II, but there's pretty much no correlation here between what players bitch about and team rankings. As a fan, I care about what's on the field. I don't care how pampered the players feel.

They rate coaches as part of this exercise. I'm not sure how they determine overall team grades. How did Miami rank #1? How'd they rate their recently fired head coach? Perhaps they gave him a A+ for allowing the inmates to run the asylum as that's how it appeared. Tomlin also routinely received sterling marks. May or may not have been because he did the same.

Considering it's their workplace, they have gripes. This is like Amazon forcing employees to piss into bottles since they can't leave their line. If a team's working conditions and tools (locker room, conditioning rooms, modernized medical areas, etc) suck, they are not going to be at their peak on the field.

[langer]

“ this place is a dump”.

I said that as well. IIRC they had to rig up some supports on the corkscrews to prevent them falling down, and the large amount of sealer on the upper deck floor looked like shit.

PNC should have been the template with all the exposed steel that suggests bridges and old buildings and then carried that aesthetic over to the stadium, but no.

[Louis Lipps Service]

I remember watching Hard Knocks a few seasons ago where they focused on the entire AFC North and thinking how awful our facilities looked.

The Baltimore practice facility looked like a luxury resort in Palm Springs, while ours looked like we were renting a conference room from a discount hotel.

You could actually see the rips and tears in the furniture the Steeler players were sitting in during the show.

Players who come from bigger college programs actually get worse facilities when they're drafted by the Steelers.

[Rod & Wire Mill]

My son say, “Why don’t they fuckin’ play better”? They don’t need/deserve better facilities the way they play.

[Jobu]

how do you build a new stadium with only 5 bathroom stalls for the entire team?

Has to be why the offense shits all over the field

Ooooh!

[Jobu]

My gawd imagine being 3rd in line to use the crapper behind Cam and Mt. Washington.

Thank gawd Big Snack and Daniel McCullers are no longer around!

[CKSteeler]

Considering it's their workplace, they have gripes. This is like Amazon forcing employees to piss into bottles since they can't leave their line. If a team's working conditions and tools (locker room, conditioning rooms, modernized medical areas, etc) suck, they are not going to be at their peak on the field.

A few years ago, NE ranked near the bottom in most of these categories. May still as I don't think they've opened their new practice facilities. How did that hurt them any? Would Tom Brady have an extra Super Bowl ring if there was a better bathroom to player ratio?

Where do they have 5 bathrooms, anyway? The stadium locker room? I doubt it's the practice facility. So, on gamedays is there really a massive que of guys lined up to use the stalls to take a shit? Most of them look like they're doing it on the field when it matters most, anyway.

There are players who used to piss and shit themselves during games to keep going. The only time I even see this being a major issue is during halftimes and even then it's like...you're fucking professional athletes. As kids, how many bathroom stalls did your locker room have at halftime for your team? Was it something you considered let alone griped about?

[Louis Lipps Service]

Considering it's their workplace, they have gripes. This is like Amazon forcing employees to piss into bottles since they can't leave their line. If a team's working conditions and tools (locker room, conditioning rooms, modernized medical areas, etc) suck, they are not going to be at their peak on the field.

A few years ago, NE ranked near the bottom in most of these categories. May still as I don't think they've opened their new practice facilities. How did that hurt them any? Would Tom Brady have an extra Super Bowl ring if there was a better bathroom to player ratio?

Where do they have 5 bathrooms, anyway? The stadium locker room? I doubt it's the practice facility. So, on gamedays is there really a massive que of guys lined up to use the stalls to take a shit? Most of them look like they're doing it on the field when it matters most, anyway.

There are players who used to piss and shit themselves during games to keep going. The only time I even see this being a major issue is during halftimes and even then it's like...you're fucking professional athletes. As kids, how many bathroom stalls did your locker room have at halftime for your team? Was it something you considered let alone griped about?

The Patriots had the best combination of a coach/QB in NFL history, which in today's NFL puts you about 60% of the way winning a Super Bowl. When you have that, the other things are far less important.

If you don't have that, EVERYTHING else matters. Yes, including the facilities. If you don't think that matters in recruiting and retaining top athletes, you're delusional.

It's not the only factor, but it is a factor. And a team that has been mismanaged in all factors like ours has, needs to pay attention to these details.

[.Kodiak]

When our own valued players stop signing extensions because of the facilities, then it's an issue.

Hell, players have even COME BACK after leaving as free agents. This is fans bitching about an non-issue. It's not college - guys are not turning down millions in salary and/or guarantees for a better weight room.

Worst facilities =/= bad. PIT isn't some run-down junior high complex. Sure, in theory it makes a difference on that margin. Looking real real close, what is that margin? I don't see any evidence of it.

[Baltostiller]

I remember watching Hard Knocks a few seasons ago where they focused on the entire AFC North and thinking how awful our facilities looked.

The Baltimore practice facility looked like a luxury resort in Palm Springs, while ours looked like we were renting a conference room from a discount hotel.

You could actually see the rips and tears in the furniture the Steeler players were sitting in during the show.

Players who come from bigger college programs actually get worse facilities when they're drafted by the Steelers.

Here in Baltimore they call the practice facility "The Castle" Pretty different from the Steelers southside dump that is not even as good as the Pitt locker room/facility.

[Steelafan77]

Speaking of play on the field….resurfacing

“In the most recent survey conducted by the NFL Players Association, the Steelers had the lowest rated home field in the league “by a wide margin.” But the Tahoma 31 Bluegrass is designed to be more hardy, have less divots and recover quicker”
https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/202 ... 2602260078

[anpsteel]

In regard to the stadium


Both the Steelers stadium and the ravens stadium opened within a year or so of one another

I believe they were built by the same company
Not that that really matters

At any rate, I went to games at both locations, during the first season or so of both stadiums being open

Compared to M&T, Hienz Field was a dump

And this was when it first opened

It was abundantly apparent that the Steelers/Rooney’s went with the cheap cheap chicken route on every option

Just a dump

If the condition of the stadium and the field are reflection of the Rooney’s being the least wealthy majority owners in the entire league, then they should probably sell the team

[SteelerDayTrader]

Let’s set a few things straight


Unless Rooney has serious hookers and blow thing happening hes personally liquid at least a 100 million and perhaps even multi billions

He needs zero money from the team. Ever.

If the Steelers need cash they have more than need. They generate 100s of millions every year above and beyond operating costs and other expenses

[R_S]

I dont get the teeth gnashing about stadium. I can't say that I've ever attended a game in Heinz Field and thought about the stadium sucking. Who really cares about that unless youre buying luxury boxes. My ass is in a stadium seat watching a football game no matter where I go. I dont need a 3D 4k wrap around jumbotron and 5 star restaurants on the promenade. Remodel and upgrade the locker rooms, add some shitters and be done with it!