Carolina Panthers Report Card 2023

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Overview

The Carolina Panthers are ranked 12^th among all NFL teams in our guide. Overall, players feel the facility is older than most, but is still functional. The most pressing issue players reported is upgrading the pool room, a key tool for player training and recovery. Players feel the floors in the pool room are unsafe and there have been complaints of a slippery surface with players falling regularly.

The good news is that there has been recent investment into areas of the facility, like the locker room; and they recently hired Frank Reich, who was rated as one of the most player friendly and respected coaches in the league by the Colts last year.

The players hope to continue to see more money being put into the necessary upgrades as 92% of respondents believed that David Tepper was willing to invest money into upgrading the facilities, ranking him 18^th in the NFL in that category.

Breakdown of Key Categories

Support of Players' Families: Ranked 4th

• They offer a family room and daycare

Post-Game Gathering Area: Ranked 3rd

Quality of food: Ranked 16th

• All three meals provided

Only 38% of players say there is enough room for everyone in the cafeteria.

Players wish they had more space to operate in the weight room.

• 100% feel they have enough strength coaches

Players feel that the strength coaches significantly add to their individual success.

• 94% of players believe they receive an individual plan (Ranked 19th)
  

Players feel like they could use more space. They are also concerned about the pool room floors, as they are slippery and many players have fallen.

Staffing

• 94% feel they have enough ATCs
• 100% feel they have enough PTs

Steam Room/Sauna

• There is a steam room (100% feel it is big enough)
• There is a sauna (94% feel it is big enough)

Tubs

• 83% of players feel they have enough hot tub space
• 78% of players feel they have enough cold tub space

Players rated their training staff very highly and believe that they significantly add to their personal success.

Overall, a positive review of the locker room as they have recently upgraded it. It has a good amount of room and they just installed a golf simulator inside as well

• 100% of players feel like they have enough space (Ranked 1st)
  

• 80% of players feel like they have enough room to spread out
• No roommates
• Good amount of first-class seats

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.