Steelers owner Art Rooney II’s reputation took another severe hit when the NFL Players Association’s annual report questioned his ownership. After ranking last overall in all critical categories and sliding below their rank in the last report, many expected a response. But it looks like they’re playing along with the NFL’s plan to push back the union’s leaked report card. 

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

Lauten’s comment comes after the Steelers ranked 32nd overall for the first time since the union began releasing its report four years ago. The team secured 28th position last year and had similar issues, which led to the slip this year.

Focusing on the period from November 2 to December 11 last year, the union included responses from 1,759 players. They allowed any player who had been part of the 53-man roster during the campaign to participate. 

As usual, players could grade their organization from A-plus to F-minus in 17 categories. Besides the worst overall rank, quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ teammates called out the team in almost all major categories, leading to the embarrassment.

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In the newly added home game field category, Pittsburgh had the lowest rating due to poor maintenance. They also complained that hosting local college and high school games has impacted Acrisure Stadium.

They said the field’s condition was not up to standard and called for serious investment. Moreover, the players graded the locker room an F, noting there are only five bathrooms for the entire team. 

They also slammed the training room for lacking modern recovery technology and treatment options. And now let’s shift our focus to the core of Lauten’s statement. He discarded the report using the same logic as the NFL used while filing a grievance against the NFLPA to ban its report.

The league called it “union speech” and deliberately chose topics that fit the union’s agenda. They also accused the NFLPA of manipulating grades by allocating different weights to each topic. NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy weighed in on the arbitrator’s decision, criticizing the union for not disclosing full information.

“We are pleased with the decision from the arbitrator, upholding the parties’ collective bargaining agreement and prohibiting the NFLPA from disparaging our clubs and individuals through ‘report cards’ allegedly based on data and methodologies that it has steadfastly refused to disclose,” the statement said.

Amid the criticism, one of the most talked-about results involved owner Art Rooney II. 

Art Rooney II ranks near the bottom in ownership grades

Before the NFL filed its grievance in November, it asked the NFLPA to pause the annual survey twice. The first attempt came in 2024, followed by another in June last year, but to no avail. Multiple owners discussed the report at the March 2025 league meeting.

In Rooney’s case, the trend continues. While other results brought enough embarrassment for Pittsburgh, the most controversial category remained ownership. 

“…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.

Meanwhile, last year’s report revealed that Pittsburgh is one of four teams that do not provide a designated family room or daycare support for players’ children on game days. Then came similar concerns regarding the team’s facilities and coaching. Art Rooney II discarded the survey’s credibility.

“We prefer to get our feedback directly from the players,” he said. “I’m not even sure where that (survey) comes from. It doesn’t get presented to us. It gets presented to the media. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a media opportunity for the players’ association as opposed to a serious effort at constructive criticism. But having said that, we look at improving our facilities every year and will continue to do that.”

With growing chatter, the pressure mounts on the Steelers to address player concerns as they focus on on becoming better on and off the field.