Arizona Cardinals Report Card 2023

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Overview

The Arizona Cardinals rank second to last in their overall score among the 32 NFL clubs. The locker room does not have confidence that owner Michael Bidwill is willing to invest to upgrade the facilities, as he ranks the lowest in that category across the league. The responses that provide the bases for that characterization include: the worst-ranked weight room, which some players feel is a safety hazard; an outdated training room and locker room; and a policy of deducting dinner from players’ paychecks should players want to get food from the facility.

The consistent sentiment in players’ responses was that ownership does not provide high quality workplace facilities, and Club policies reflected the lowest rate of confidence that current ownership is willing to invest to make upgrades.

Breakdown of Key Categories

Support of Players' Families: Tied for 31st

• One of 14 teams that do not offer a family room
• One of 11 teams that do not offer daycare

Post-Game Gathering Area: Ranked 30th

Quality of food: Ranked 32nd

• If players would like dinner, it will be boxed up for them, but players reported that the team will charge you via payroll deduction. This is apparently the only Club that does this.
• Players reported that if you work out at the facility after the season is over, the team charges you for every meal eaten at the facility (again, apparently the only team in the league that does this).

69% of players say there is enough room in the cafeteria.

Players describe it as a health and safety risk just to walk through the weight room. The flooring is nearly a unanimous complaint:

• The floors are uneven
• The floorboards are peeling up

73% of players think they have enough strength coaches; that percentage is the lowest in the league.

• When asked whether “Strength Coaches adding to their success” they ranked 16^th in the NFL. 16^th sounds average, but that is because players on most teams rated their strength coaches positively. The Cardinals players gave overall high marks to the strength staff, which is why the overall grade is still high.
• 88% of players believe they receive an individual plan, which is 25^th overall.

Survey responses included several complaints of being outdated.

Staffing

• 67% of players think they have enough ATC (2^nd lowest in the league)
• 48% of players think they have enough PTs (2^nd lowest in the league)

Steam Room/Sauna

• There is a steam room (80% feel it is big enough)
• There is a sauna (65% feel it is big enough)

Tubs

• 90% of players feel they have enough hot tub space
• 63% of players feel they have enough cold tub space

When asked about the “Training staff adding to their success,” they tied for 22nd in the NFL.

That may sound slightly below average, but that is because most teams rated their training staffs positively. The Cardinals players gave moderately high marks to their staff, which is why the overall grade is still good.

Only 30% of players feel like they have enough space.

• Complaints that it is old and needs a renovation
  

• Only 48% of players feel like they have enough room to spread out
• Positives are:
  • No roommates
  • A lot of first-class seats

Players reported that in previous years, the team used a large plane so that all players had lay down seats. This past season the Club switched to a smaller plane, which limited the number of lay down seats so many players have worse seats and less space now.

During the last two years, the Board of Representatives has discussed ways to improve the information available to free agents making decisions about their prospective Clubs and decided to pursue the development of “Club Report Cards” that, while not a scientific survey, would report the quantitative and qualitative opinions of NFL players about their respective Clubs.

In connection with that goal, questions were sent to every player on the 2022 team rosters asking them their opinions about their Club’s facilities, certain Club personnel/coaches, and other work-related categories, such as Club’s treatment of families and team travel (players were not asked questions about any Club other than their 2022 employer). As a result of the confidential questionnaire, 1,300 players responded. There then was a qualitative follow up by the union, which resulted in the following “report card.”

The questions called for both quantitative and qualitative answers; for example: “Grade your weight room with 1 reflecting best rating, 5 reflecting lowest rating” and “What would you change about your weight room?” The numerical ratings for each sub-category of questions were tallied and averaged. The questionnaire also sought to elicit the opinion of players on some issues that have a direct impact on the quality of life for NFL players. These qualitative responses, which are inherently subjective, were reviewed and evaluated by the union and then factored into providing an overall rating that was intended to reflect player opinions.

Based upon all of this information, the rankings from Club to Club were determined by comparing how each Club graded in each category.

Finally, the Club Report Card includes an overview, which is a summary of the players’ responses and opinions about the Club workplace and specifically about how players perceived Clubs’ commitment to workplace issues.