The Cincinnati Bengals emerge from the recently released NFLPA team report cards with some work to do.
An effort that polled 1,000-plus NFL players about their team aims not to shame organizations but to spotlight problem areas teams can improve.
The Bengals finish 27th overall.
Cincinnati graded well in some areas, such as receiving “A” grades for strength coaches and training staff. But Paycor Stadium shows its age in others, with the training room receiving a “D-” and locker room receiving a “D” grade.
Those are far from the most concerning spots.
The Bengals received an “F” for treatment of families, tied for last place, with the following note: “Players report that there is nowhere safe and warm for mothers and children to go during the game, and that breastfeeding mothers have sat on the public restroom floor to nurse their babies.”
The Bengals received an “F” for food service and nutrition and highlighted the following: “The Bengals are one of three teams that do not provide dinner to their players; they are also one of two teams that do not provide vitamins, and they are the only team that doesn’t provide supplements.”
Brutal Bengals NFLPA rankings in some areas. Obvious areas need to be addressed ASAP. pic.twitter.com/X6j00paOvJ
— Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) March 2, 2023
There are some important things to note. Overall score did not equate to on-field success — the Chiefs rank 29th. But polling around 1,300 players means roughly 60 percent of the league and these details are things agents and free agents will use when making decisions.
If nothing else, the Bengals were already working on addressing some of these infrastructure concerns. Some of the other problems are inexcusable in nature, though, and public pressure of this kind hopefully results in immediate improvement.
