The Cleveland Browns might have overcome their share of adversity last season with a trip to the playoffs and a clean sweep at NFL Honors, but according to the Players Union NFLPA and a survey of players grading a number of areas for their team, there's a lot of work to be done.
The Browns received an overall grade of D-, ranked 23rd among the 32 NFL teams. Cleveland dropped in their rankings from 2022 by two spots, with players unsatisfied with several things.
Among the major issues identified by players in the anonymous survey were the same as in 2022—not having an actual weight room and not having enough space in their locker room.
The weight room, graded with a D, is located in the team's indoor fieldhouse in Berea and has left players feeling like they don't have enough space and is not up to standards, according to the survey. The locker room is viewed similarly, graded a D+, as players don't feel as though they have enough space.
Receiving the worst grade was in the treatment of families, with a D-. Players sounded off about not having a family room at the stadium. While there is daycare provided at the stadium for home games, players were not satisfied with the family meet-up area, saying that the tent in the parking lot can be rough in the winter. Another complaint was early in the season, players said they were unable to contact their wives or loved ones from the locker room to let them know how they were doing.
One of the highest grades given by players was to ownership, which received a B. Players gave owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam an 8.6/10 rating when asked to consider his willingness to invest in the facilities. The Browns are currently working to revamp and expand their training facilities in Berea, while also in conversations with the city for a stadium renovation or an altogether new stadium.
Strength coaches received the highest grade on the report card, getting a B+. (3% of players felt good about having an individualized strength training plan and players said they feel the trainers contribute significantly to their success. The training staff was graded a B-, with 80% of players saying they feel they receiving enough individual treatment.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski was also among the highest grades on the report card, getting a B-. However, just 70% of players said they feel that Stefanski is efficient with their time and an overall trend was that the head coach is felt to be "somewhat willing" to listen to the locker room.
Stefanski, who held a media availability at the NFL Combine shortly after the report cards were released, said he appreciates the feedback from players and is happy to listen to their input. He also added that the organization is already in the process of correcting one of the concerns, building a new weight room right now.
"I think every year you have to be open to everything information-wise to get better. In there talking about the weight room was one thing. I'm happy to tell you guys, we're building a new weight room so we know that that's an area that we want to get better," Stefanski said. "I take input from our players. I feel really strongly about our leaders, our leadership committee, my office downstairs, the door is always open. Even if it's closed, it's open. So I welcome input and that will never change."
Here is the full report card given to the Browns by players:
| Category | Grade | Rank out of 32 |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment of Families | D- | 26th |
| Food/Cafeteria | C+ | 18th |
| Nutritionist/Dietician | C+ | 23rd |
| Locker Room | D+ | 23rd |
| Training Room | C+ | 20th |
| Training Staff | B- | 24th |
| Weight Room | D | 30th |
| Strength Coaches | B+ | 19th |
| Team Travel | D | 23rd |
| Head Coach | B- | 28th |
| Ownership | B | 17th |
To read the full report, click here.
