For the third consecutive year, the Miami Dolphins ranked first in the NFL Players Association annual report cards, according to survey results obtained by ESPN. The Minnesota Vikings finished second, followed by the Washington Commanders in third.

“Players consistently describe the organization as ‘the best in the NFL,'” the NFLPA survey wrote about the Dolphins.

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished last for the first time in the four-year history of the union’s survey. Last year, the Steelers ranked 28th. The Arizona Cardinals finished 31st in the 2026 survey, after a last-place finish in 2025, and the Cleveland Browns finished in 30th, the same as in 2025.

The NFLPA is not making the report cards public this year after a grievance filed by the NFL, which said the survey violated the collective bargaining agreement. Earlier this month, an arbitrator agreed with the league, saying the report cards violated the CBA by “disparaging NFL clubs and individuals.” The NFLPA said it would continue to collect responses for report cards even if it can’t publish them.

A spokesperson for the NFLPA declined to comment.

An NFL spokesperson also declined to comment, saying that, as in previous years, the league had no knowledge of the survey. The league sent a memo to all teams later Thursday, saying that, as the arbitration hearing showed, the survey results are “neither reliable nor scientifically valid.”

“… We continue to recommend that clubs prioritize feedback and information provided directly by their own players rather than relying on the NFLPA’s agenda-driven exercise,” the league said in the memo, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN. “We further recommend that Clubs refrain from commenting or engaging publicly on the alleged survey and Report Card results.”

The report cards grade franchises from A-plus to F-minus on everything from ownership to treatment of families. Per the survey results obtained by ESPN, this year’s report cards are based on responses from 1,759 players. All players who were on a 2025 roster at the time of the survey were eligible to participate, and it was conducted from Nov. 2 to Dec. 11.

The Steelers received low grades in several categories, according to the results obtained by ESPN.

“[Steelers owner] Art Rooney ranks last in the league for willingness to invest in facilities, a trend reflected in the Steelers’ poor facility ratings across the board,” according to the survey.

In a new category added this year, the Steelers had the lowest-rated home field in the league “by a wide margin.”

“Players cite inadequate maintenance and excessive wear from hosting local college and high school games,” according to the survey. “Players across the league note the poor condition of the field and emphasize the need for investment to bring it up to standard.”

The Steelers’ locker room was graded an F. Players reported that it “has only five bathroom stalls for the entire team.”

Per the survey, players report that the Steelers’ training room lacks updated recovery technology and “modalities.” Pittsburgh’s strength coaches ranked last in the NFL, though the training staff ranked first.

“We are not going to comment on a report that we have not seen in its entirety,” Steelers senior director of communications Burt Lauten told ESPN.

A spokesperson for the Cardinals declined to comment.

Miami ranked fourth in home field because of the natural grass at Hard Rock Stadium, “with players highlighting their preference for quality grass fields like this one,” the survey said.

Former Miami coach Mike McDaniel’s grade dropped from an A-plus to a B. “Players identify scheduling, communication, and leadership as key areas for head coaching improvement, presenting an opportunity for [new head coach Jeff] Hafley next season,” the survey said.

Last year, 1,695 players leaguewide responded to the survey. The Vikings and Dolphins earned the highest marks for workplace environment, with owners Zygi Wilf of the Vikings, Stephen Ross of the Dolphins and Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Falcons receiving A-plus grades.

Before filing its grievance in November, the NFL had twice asked the union to suspend the survey, once in 2024 and a second time in June of this year — and the NFLPA declined.

At the NFL league meeting in March 2025, New York Jets chairman Woody Johnson — who along with Art Rooney of the Steelers, Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, Michael Bidwill of the Cardinals and David Tepper of the Carolina Panthers received ownership grades of D or worse in 2025 — called the survey “totally bogus” and hinted that it violated the CBA.

Johnson said he took issue with “how they collected the information [and] who they collected it from. [It] was supposed to be, according to the agreement we have with the league. It’s supposed to be a process [where] we have representatives, and they have representatives, so we know that it’s an honest survey.

“And that was violated, in my opinion. I’m going to leave it at that, but I think there are a lot of owners that looked at that survey and said this is not fair, it’s not balanced, it’s not every player, it’s not even representative of the players.”

Brady Tkachuk is back with his Ottawa Senators, and he stood his ground when faced with a question about the viral moment when Team USA laughed at a joke by President Donald Trump about the women’s ice hockey team during a phone call after both teams won gold medals in Milan.

As players like Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman admitted, players “should have reacted differently.”

Tkachuk responded to a reporter’s question about the moment Trump said he would “have” to invite the women’s team, which also defeated Canada in the Olympics, to Tuesday’s State of the Union or else he “probably would be impeached.”

“Yeah, I get it,” Tkachuk said when a reporter asked if he understood that the women’s team felt displeased with the men’s team’s reaction. “I have no other comments other than for the things we can control. We supported them. They supported us. Can’t control what other people say.”

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Tkachuk added it was “fun” being around the women’s team while in Milan.

“It was fun seeing them play, fun to see the excellence they brought every single game and how they’re, by far, the best team in that tournament,” he said. “It was just fun seeing them after picking their brains. They were picking our brains, and it was just fun being around them.”

Tkachuk was asked a follow-up question about why he would laugh at Trump’s joke. Again, he stood his ground.

“It was a whirlwind of a moment. You can’t really control what somebody says, and I guess it caught [us] off guard a little bit,” he said. “I mean, when you’re talking to the president 10 minutes after you just achieved your dream, it’s just the fact that you’re talking to him, 

“You can’t really believe where your life is at where you’re talking to the president of the United States after you just won a gold medal.”

Tkachuk was with his U.S. teammates at Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, and the chamber gave the team a standing ovation as players showcased their Olympic gold medals

The women’s team declined an invitation to Washington, D.C., citing “previously scheduled academic and professional commitments.” Trump said at the State of the Union address that the women’s team will visit the White House “soon.”

Brady Tkachuk of the United States celebrates after winning the gold medal during the men’s gold medal match against Canada at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games Feb. 22, 2026, in Milan, Italy.  (Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)

USA Hockey responded to Trump’s suggestion that the team would be going to the White House. 

“Players are back competing with their professional and collegiate teams and are in the midst of their season,” a USA Hockey spokesperson told Front Office Sports. “They’re honored and grateful to be invited, and any opportunity to visit the White House as a team will be based on their schedules once their seasons conclude.”

While there’s been a divide on social media about the moment, Ellen Hughes, the mother of Jack and Quinn Hughes, who played a role in Team USA’s fate in Milan as a player development staff member with the women’s team, did not seem bothered by Trump’s comments.

“These players, both the men and women, can bring so much unity to a group and to a country,” she told “Today.” “People that cheered on that don’t watch hockey, people that have politics on one side or on the other side, and that’s all both the men’s team and the women’s team care about.

Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators during warmups before a game against the Nashville Predators Oct. 13, 2025, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  (André Ringuette/NHLI)

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“If you could see what we see from the inside, and the men and women sharing, you know, dorm rooms and halls and flex floors and the camaraderie and the synergy and the way the women cheered on the men and the way the men cheered on the women — that’s what it’s all about,” she added. 

“And the other things they cannot control. They care about humanity. They care about unity, and they care about the country.”

Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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It’s common in sports for a player to provide a gift to a teammate in exchange for the rights to a certain jersey number upon moving to a new team. But what happens if the number a player desires is owned by a mascot?

The same thing, apparently.

Artemi Panarin was traded to the Los Angeles Kings just before the Olympic break, with the veteran winger looking to adopt the jersey number 72 that he wore when he entered the league with the Chicago Blackhawks.

There was just one problem: The Kings’ mascot, Bailey, also already wears the number. The reason? “Because it’s always 72 degrees in Los Angeles.”

So a number trade ensued.

Panarin will wear No. 72, and Bailey received a Rolex.

Our 72s 🖤 pic.twitter.com/mdthCYTJmm

— LA Kings (@LAKings) February 25, 2026

The “trade” actually proved to be a win-win for Bailey. Because the mascot won’t ever be on the ice at the same time as Panarin, it’ll keep wearing No. 72 in the stands.