Patriots Score Poorly Again in NFLPA 2025 Report Card
Follow us
Follow Us
🕑 Read Time: 4 minutes
Posted Under: Patriots News
HOME > Patriots Blog > Patriots News
The NFLPA released its report card for 2025, and once again, the Patriots found themselves at the bottom of the rankings compared to their peers.
They came in 31st out of 32 teams, dropping four spots from where they finished in 2024 when they were ranked 27th compared to the rest of the league.
The biggest issues players seemed to have was with the weight room and the team plane, with both receiving an “F” from the players surveyed.
“The players feel that the weight room equipment is below average, ranking them 32 out of 32 teams,” the report read, while also adding, “The players feel that they do not have enough space to train effectively, a ranking of 31 out of 32.”
Robert Kraft took last year’s complaints to heart, with the club currently building a new training facility next to the stadium, which will provide the room that players obviously feel is currently lacking.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye joined Chris Long recently on the Green Light podcast, and Long noted that the current building is tough because there are no windows, which he said was a difficult adjustment for him.
“You go in there, you don’t know what time it is,” said Long. “It’s dark when you go in. It’s dark when you [leave]. That was the hard adjustment for me. It was the damn weather and the sunlight.”
Maye agreed with Long’s assessment but sounded excited about the new building that’s taking shape.
“We’re actually … Mr. Kraft, and they’re building a new one,” said Maye. “I think this next spring.”
Meanwhile, despite Robert Kraft purchasing two planes back in 2017, what was supposed to be a benefit sounds like it’s actually a detriment, at least in terms of how they’re viewed by the players. The two 767 aircraft are said to be “too small” while also lacking Wi-Fi, and the efficiency of their travel was also an issue.
“39% of the Patriots players report having a comfortable amount of personal space on team flights, ranking them 31 out of 32,” read the report. “The players feel that their team’s travel schedule is not very efficient, a rank of 30 out of 32 teams.”
“Players want an upgraded team plane. The current plane is too small, there is no Wi-Fi available, and there are seats with ashtrays in the armrests. Players specifically responded that ‘our plane is the worst thing – size, space, safety.’ and ‘it is not conducive to preparedness for athletic performance.'”
One thing that was interesting was that former head coach Jerod Mayo finished with a B+ grade last season, which was an upgrade from where former head coach Bill Belichick finished the year before. Belichick received a B- in 2024, with players complaining about the use of their time or their coach’s willingness to hear their issues.
“Only 55% of players feel that former head coach Bill Belichick was efficient with their time (31st overall),” with the NFLPA also adding, “The players feel that Bill Belichick was rarely willing to listen to the locker room (31st overall).”
With Mayo, that part of things was significantly different.
“93% of Patriots players feel their former head coach Jerod Mayo was efficient with their time, a rank of 20 out of 32,” read the survey. “The players felt that Mayo was moderately receptive to locker room feedback on the team’s needs, ranking him 19 of 32 head coaches in the league.”
Still, the result ended in a 4-13 season that was marred with issues that extended beyond Mayo’s more player-friendly approach. Mayo clearly did a good job being more approachable with players. However, there were whispers throughout the locker room when it came to not everyone being on the same page, including on the coaching staff. That ended up being a part of a multitude of reasons that ultimately prompted his dismissal and resulted in the subsequent hiring of Mike Vrabel.
Speaking of Vrabel, he was given a B+ grade in last year’s ratings (which followed his last season in Tennessee in 2023). The report said, “94% of players feel that former head coach Mike Vrabel was efficient with their time (13th overall),” and “The players feel that Mike Vrabel was somewhat willing to listen to the locker room (19th overall).”
After finishing with an F- when it came to the treatment of families last offseason (30th in the NFL), the club jumped up in the rankings after some changes were reportedly made.
The report revealed that the team began offering daycare services on game day last season, as well as a family room during home games. They also hired a staff member to oversee family services.
That raised the overall grade to a C+, bumping them up to 18th out of 32 teams.
“These changes were well received,” said the report. “And players believe that family support is now the team’s biggest strength.”
As for Kraft, he was given a “D” for this year, down from the “D+” he received a year ago.
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, Falcons owner Arthur Blank, and the Minnesota Vikings ownership group all finished with A+ ratings in this year’s group.
Each one gave a strong perception of willingness to invest in the facilities, as well as contributing to a positive team culture and being committed to building a competitive team.
Meanwhile, here in New England, players felt that Kraft “slightly” contributes to a positive team culture (30th out of 32), while saying he was just “somewhat” committed to building a competitive team (30th out of 32).
Kraft has been vocal about his commitment to winning and to his coaches and players, as well as his commitment to the fans. We’ll see if that grade improves given the addition of Vrabel and the new facility being constructed.
Being on a losing team likely didn’t help things, and the hope is that we see some changes from that standpoint this season.
From our archive - this week all-time:
April 10 - April 25 (Through 26yrs)
Join 2,000+ fans getting exclusive stats, analysis, and insights delivered straight to their inbox every week. Never miss a play.
