In NFLPA's Scathing Survey, Bengals Players Say Women Sit on Restroom Floor to Nurse Babies at Paycor Stadium

BY ALLISON BABKA

The Cincinnati Bengals may not be doing right by their players.

That's the takeaway from the NFL Players Association's firstever team report card, issued March 1. To assess and possibly improve working conditions, the labor union evaluated each NFL team in several categories that relate to players' daily experiences.

The report came as many players – including Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow – have begun negotiating contract extensions or are considering free agency. To arrive at the results, the NFLPA sent surveys to all players who were on an NFL club roster in 2022. The surveys included questions about their team's daily experiences, including coach and personnel interaction, treatment of families, training facilities, team travel and more. The NFLPA said that 1,300 players responded to the survey.

"For many years, players have brought up the idea of creating a 'Free Agency Guide,' which would contain information that can help illuminate what that daily experience is like for players and their families from team to team," the NFLPA wrote in the report's introduction.

"If knowledge is really power, then providing players with information about each club would not only help them make important career decisions, but it would also help raise the standards across each club."

Through the report cards, the NFLPA said it wanted to showcase franchises with a positive environment, identify clubs needing improvement and lay out league standards.

"We don’t want this to be a oneyear project. Our intent is to continue to field player opinions and feedback every year," the NFLPA said.

"As we have carefully noted, these club report cards are a snapshot of opinions during one period in time, and those opinions can change if the clubs make decisions that impact the player experience in the workplace."

"We also believe that each club has the resources – and an obligation – to ensure that things like weight rooms are in the best possible condition, training rooms are properly staffed and each interaction with players from club personnel is a positive one," the organization continued.

How the Bengals fared

The NFLPA's grades for the Bengals were fairly dismal, with the team placing 27th out of 32 teams overall. The union noted that the players liked head coach Zac Taylor and his coaching staff.

Based on the player survey, the union gave Cincinnati A's for training staff and strength coaches (ranking ninth and tenth, respectively, in the entire league). The weight room got a B+, good for 13th place overall. Players told the NFLPA that they feel like they receive personalized training plans and that the training staff contributes to the team's successes on the field.

But the grades in the other categories tumbled. The team earned a C+ for team travel (20th in the league), a D for the locker room (25th) and a D- for the training room (27th). The Bengals' facilities were a sticking point, the union said, with players noting that there's not enough hot tub or cold tub space, that many showers and toilets don't work and that there aren't outlets to charge phones and other devices in the locker room.

The Bengals failed in the treatment of families (29th in the league, tied for last place) and received an F- in food service and nutrition (dead last out of 32 teams). Reviews were scathing, with players saying, "There is nowhere safe and warm for mothers and children to go during the game" and "Breastfeeding mothers have sat on the public restroom floor to nurse their babies," according to the NFLPA.

And players pointed out the lacking food service at Paycor Stadium, the NFLPA said, alleging that there's not enough room in the stadium cafeteria and that the food facility isn't open on off days, even though players are encouraged to come in for training. The NFLPA also noted that the Bengals are one of three teams that doesn't provide dinner to players, one of two teams that doesn't provide vitamins and the only team that doesn't provide supplements.

For Bengals players who responded to the survey, all of the disappointments led back to team owner Mike Brown.

"These examples are consistent with players’ opinions, with only 44% of respondents believing club owner Mike Brown is willing to spend money to make the facility better, ranking him tied for 29th in this category," the NFLPA wrote.