KC Chiefs’ Abysmal NFLPA Report Card Sounds Like a Ticking Time Bomb

For the most part, the current Kansas City Chiefs are living a charmed life. For years, the franchise couldn’t seem to get out of its own way. There were plenty of ugly campaigns, and even those that looked destined for greatness collapsed at crunch time. Those concerns, however, are now a thing of the past.

These days, the Chiefs seem unstoppable. Even when things go a bit off the boil, as they did during the 2023 regular season, Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and Travis Kelce can pull together and produce magic. And with three Super Bowl titles during this dynastic run, they’ve certainly earned the benefit of the doubt.

But behind the scenes, things may be a bit less rosy than they seem. Allow the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) to explain.

The Chiefs Performed Awfully in an Annual Survey

While it can be easy to think of NFL players as modern-day gladiators who perform for our amusement, they are employees of their respective teams. And, as such, they’re entitled to expect certain levels of benefits that come along with their job.

If you take the NFLPA’s 2024 Team Report Cards at face value, the defending champs aren’t delivering in that department.

As a note from President JC Tretter details, the NFLPA “had 1,706 active NFL players complete the survey in full, which nets out to more than a 77% response rate.” And that sample size ranked the Chiefs as the second-worst team in terms of overall performance.

Out of 11 total categories, KC only scored above a C+ in one of them: Head coach, where Reid received an A+.

There were three C’s (C+ in both Strength Coaches and Weight Room, and a C- in Food/Cafeteria) and three D’s (D+ in Treatment of Families, D in Team Travel and Treatment Facilities).

The rest of the grades are all in the F range. Nutritionist/Dietician, Locker Room and Training Staff all earned an F, while Ownership received an F-.

In the survey notes, the grades seemed to largely be tied to two factors.

“The number one complaint when it comes to the facilities is the locker room. Though the players received actual chairs with backs to sit in at their lockers in response to last year’s feedback, it did not change the fact that the locker room is overdue for a renovation,” the write-up explained. “What adds to the frustration is that management told the players that renovations would come after the 2022 season. The players went on to win the Super Bowl and when they arrived back at their facility for the 2023-2024 season, they realized the team never followed through with the promised renovation (other than adding chairs).

“The players’ issue with quality of care is mostly centered around the training room. The players feel that the training room is significantly understaffed, with only 43% of the team responding that they get an adequate amount of one-on-one treatment time. Players feel that the staff is unwilling to provide the necessary treatment to support recovery and performance; for example, players are not allowed to get preventative treatment (soft tissue work, other care) for soreness and day-to-day issues, a regular offering across the NFL.”

Those, taken in combination, apparently lead to the Ownership’s league-worst F-.

“From the results, it is clear that there has not been a significant reinvestment back into the facilities even after consistent success,” the NFLPA’s explanation added. “That has led to a high level of frustration among player respondents and reflects in club owner Clark Hunt’s ranking as the least willing to invest in team facilities among all NFL owners/ownership group in the opinions of the respondents.”

Newsweek on Wednesday reached out to the Chiefs via email seeking comment on the NFLPA grades.

Those Scores Raise Questions About the Future

When taken in isolation, it’s easy to write off the NFLPA grades as irrelevant. The Chiefs have just won back-to-back Super Bowl titles, after all. No one is going to shed a tear about a bad locker room or a crowded team flight.

But when you zoom out to the larger picture, it’s easier to see the long-term implications of these shortcomings.

Right now, K.C. is a desirable place to be. Mahomes is an all-world quarterback, and any player would want to be on his side. Add Reid, the top-ranked coach in the survey, and the club’s seemingly guaranteed place in the AFC title game, and there’s a clear appeal to coming to Arrowhead.

But those names won’t last forever. Travis Kelce is probably nearing the end of his career; Reid, even with an extension potentially in the works, will have to move on at some point. Even Mahomes, the man who changed the entire course of the franchise, is going to slow down with the passage of time.

And, when those factors fade, what’s going to draw players to Kansas City? As things currently stand, it’s not the amenities.

Again, it’s easy to feel like these things don’t matter and that a player would never choose to join a franchise because of the off-field perks. But in the modern world of sports, where player empowerment reigns supreme and everyone is making big-time money, you have to offer something.

Will your team give that free agent a chance to win the Super Bowl? Will you pay him more money? Or will you treat him like a star on and off the field?

Or, from a more negative perspective, why would a player choose to play for a team whose owner received an F-, unless there’s another draw? The NFLPA even noted that these report cards grew out of the idea for a “‘Free Agency Guide’ that would illuminate what the daily experience is for players and their families at each team,” suggesting that the grades would help guide future decisions.

The first two of those factors aren’t always in your control. Like it or not, only a handful of teams are genuine contenders each year. And after this current window, the Chiefs will probably have to adjust to life as a fringe candidate rather than a favorite. The same can be said for paying top dollar. Sometimes the salary cap simply won’t allow you to back up the metaphorical Brink’s truck on a player’s doorstep.

Amenities and experience, however, are under each franchise’s control. There’s no limit on non-roster spending; a club can spend a billion dollars on the locker room or pay extra for hotel rooms if that’s what they desire. And through that lens, they’re sustainable. If you want to improve the weight room, for example, you can. That’s how some teams improved in the NFLPA survey year over year.

It’s impossible to stay on top of the NFL forever; whether you’re the Dallas Cowboys, the New England Patriots, the Kansas City Chiefs or any other dynasty, the window is eventually going to close. And when that time comes, it’s up to the organizational brass to keep things from completely collapsing. Will the down years look like floating around the playoff bubble? Or will the club completely bottom out?

And while things are running hot now, it seems like the Chiefs have neglected to do the work behind the scenes. At some point, that bill (whether it’s literally or metaphorically) will have to be paid.