Coaches soar, team travel sinks on Colts players "report card"
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Indianapolis Colts players are showering their coaching staff with gold stars and nearly flunking their travel conditions in the team's latest report card.
Why it matters: A team's ability to attract top free agents could come down to how well the franchise is run and maintained.
The big picture: The National Football League Players Association's annual ranking of team working conditions gives fans an insight into what players endure and desire.
How it works: The ranking was determined as part of the NFLPA's 2025 league survey that polls nearly 1,700 players.
- This is the third year the NFLPA has released report cards.
- NFLPA chief strategy officer JC Tretter says the goal is to empower players, saying they have long wanted a resource that "reflects their daily experiences and opinions about their workplace conditions."
Zoom in: The Colts rank 19 out of 34 teams in the NFL in workplace conditions, up three spots from last year.
- Top marks went to the strength coaches earning an A- and head coach Shane Steichen getting an A.
- "The players feel that Steichen is highly receptive to locker room feedback on the team's needs," the report states.
- The lowest grades the Colts received were C for the food/dining area and a D+ for team travel.
What they're saying: "Players don't feel like they have enough personal space on flights. They want more access to first-class seating," NFLPA researchers write.
Only 59% of the Colts players believe they have enough space on the flights, ranking them 28 out of 32.
Stunning stat: The biggest improvement came in the treatment of families category, going from a D in 2024 to a B- in 2025.
- The increase is attributed to the Colts adding a game-day day care for players' children.