The annual NFLPA report card hasn’t been kind to the Pittsburgh Steelers since it started as an offseason tradition a few years ago. But the survey is the average opinion of all of the players who chose to respond, and therefore the complaints are veiled in anonymity. Najee Harris, who just signed with the Los Angeles Chargers, wasn’t shy to praise his new facility while throwing shade at Pittsburgh’s.
“It’s a great weight room first of all. Even the facility, it’s all great things man. A lot of things that they provide here that you can take advantage of,” Harris said during his introductory press conference on the Chargers’ website. “I was just telling them, ‘Man, it’s not like this everywhere. This is a special thing right here.’ It reminds me of college at Alabama, all the resources that they have. I was just telling him, ‘Y’all have a great thing going on right now ’cause it’s not like this everywhere.’”
Harris really emphasized that last sentence with a bit of a chuckle. It’s clearly a shot at the Steelers. Here are some of the relevant categories and their associated grade (and league wide ranking) from the NFLPA report card.
Treatment of Facilities: C- (26th)
Locker Room: D (27th)
Weight Room: C+ (28th)
That would be a GPA of 1.67. Most institutions require a 2.0 to graduate, so that can effectively be called a failing grade for the Steelers’ facility, weight room, and locker room.
For players like Harris, going to Pittsburgh was a massive downgrade from the world-class facility that he enjoyed at Alabama. Not every player has that in college. But I am sure that Harris isn’t the only player drafted in Pittsburgh who was amazed by the amenities elsewhere after they departed in free agency.
The same NFLPA report card in 2024 gave Steelers owner Art Rooney II an ‘F’ grade, noting that there was “little confidence” in him to invest in a better workplace.
