When it comes to football, there aren’t a lot of things that take precedence over performing on the gridiron. But if there’s one thing that players take just as seriously, it’s the NFL Players Association’s team and facility report cards. 1,706 players. 32 teams. 11 categories to determine just how good or bad franchises’ workplace conditions are. And after the New England Patriots’ dismal 2023 report, no one thought things could get worse. But they did.

“The Patriots are the only team in the NFL with a majority of players feeling that their team’s facility is worse than places they could train offsite,” read the NFLPA report. With a failing grade for their weight room (ranked 32/32) and the treatment of players’ families (30/32), Robert Kraft’s Patriots placed 29th overall. If that wasn’t bad enough, they fell five places compared to 2023, receiving worse grades in almost every aspect.

Considering they’re a first-class franchise, Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan highlighted the sad state of affairs, also bringing up how the franchise is “under an ownership group that insists over and over again, it has no spending limits.” Well, in light of the report, Robert Kraft is determined to make a difference. During the NFL Owners Meeting, Kraft was enquired about pertinent issues plaguing the path to greatness for his team. And he had a surprising response.

“I must tell you, I was unaware of how bad that was,” the billionaire revealed. Addressing the fact that the Pats ranked in the bottom 10 in almost every category – especially the weight room – Kraft added, “We’ve had a plan, and we put in place, and we’re committing a whole new facility adjacent to ours that has been discussed with the young leadership team of a building that will be in excess of $50 million that will have the most modern facilities.” As for the team’s daycare facilities, he believes they can be solved as soon as possible.

Per the NFLPA report, the franchise is one of only four that doesn’t offer a family room or daycare support for players’ children on gameday. Discussing this, the owner said, “I was not aware, even of this daycare issue. That’s something fixable, and we want to do.” Robert Kraft called his players the “heart and soul of the business.” After all, they’re the ones who have contributed the most to the Patriots’ rich history. That brings up another aspect Andrew Callahan mentioned.

“If the Patriots ever want to be the Patriots again, Robert Kraft must join Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf in the rebuild, crack open his wallet, and finance his football operations back to the top,” wrote Callahan. With the offseason seeing significant changes in Boston, Kraft has confirmed many more to come. But as it so happens, the Patriots’ weight room and family treatment weren’t the only concerning categories. Another had to do with the former head coach, Bill Belichick.

Bill Belichick’s aftermath and Jerod Mayo’s hope for an improved New England Patriots

For the 2024 report, the NFL added a category that graded head coaches’ behavior with their players. Per the report, only 55% of players felt Belichick was efficient with their time, resulting in a rank of 31. As for his willingness to listen to the locker room? That wasn’t any better, with the former head coach ranking 31st in this aspect as well.

Overall, with a B- grade, he ranked 27th. Player complaints regarding the weight room’s lack of space and outdated equipment have been constant. Seeing as the ownership hadn’t acted on this earlier, the report added how this “explains the low grade (D-) for Robert Kraft on the question about players having confidence he will invest in their facilities.”

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Head coach Jerod Mayo also addressed the New England Patriots’ 29th rank. Mayo said, “I think it just reminds staff and owners of things that we need to improve on. But once again, it’s going to take time.”

Now that the New England Patriots owner is finally aware of the lackluster facilities, players and their families will hopefully get some much-needed respite after the $50 million refurbish.

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