J.J. Watt has maintained a consistent stance regarding the ongoing NFLPA report cards controversy throughout the last season. The former Defensive Player of the Year, appearing frequently during NFL broadcasts on CBS and on The Pat McAfee Show, repeatedly defended the NFL Players Association’s right to assemble and release annual report cards that grade teams on aspects such as ownership, head coaching, and player amenities.
These report cards, which first appeared in 2023, are designed to give players a direct voice in evaluating how well their teams are managed and supported. However, the NFL launched a grievance against the union last fall aiming to halt this practice. Watt vehemently criticized the league’s actions, accusing the NFL of suppressing player expression by targeting
“one little thing that the players have”
to hold their organizations accountable.
Disapproval of Pro Football Focus Rankings on Sunday Night Football
Alongside his defense of the NFLPA report cards, Watt has also been openly critical of Pro Football Focus (PFF) and its use during NBC’s Sunday Night Football broadcasts. He described PFF’s player grades as “completely made up,” expressing hope that NBC would stop displaying these third-party metrics during player introductions. This criticism points to a larger issue of how player performance is quantified and presented to the public, with Watt challenging the legitimacy and accuracy of PFF rankings.
Arbitrator Rules in Favor of NFL, Prompting Public Reaction
On Friday, an independent arbitrator ruled in favor of the NFL regarding the league’s grievance against the NFLPA report cards, effectively blocking their public release. In response, Watt took to social media to highlight the contradiction between the league’s stance on the report cards and its acceptance of PFF’s rankings on national television.
Watt tweeted,
“NFL won’t let actual players grade the workplace they attend every single day, but they’ll allow a 3rd party ‘grading’ service to display their rankings of players on national television every Sunday night…”
This statement underscores Watt’s frustration with the NFL’s selective endorsement of grading systems, as the league restricts evaluations from players themselves while permitting broadcast exposure of third-party ratings.
Highlighting a Disparity in Player and League Priorities
Watt’s arguments bring attention to an important imbalance in how the NFL treats evaluations sourced from players compared to those from external organizations. While the league permits extensive analysis and grading of players by outside companies like PFF, it resists efforts by players to publicly assess the leadership and environment within their teams.
The NFLPA report cards provide players an opportunity to evaluate ownership, general managers, and coaches—areas often overlooked despite their significant influence on team success or failure. Watt’s position challenges the league’s apparent hypocrisy and supports greater player involvement in shaping narratives about team accountability and workplace conditions.
Ongoing Efforts and Future Prospects for Player Report Cards
Following the ruling, the NFLPA announced that it will continue producing the report cards but will limit their circulation to internal use for the time being. Both the NFL and NFLPA are expected to collaborate on a separate public report card that will specifically reflect players’ opinions of team medical personnel.
This development suggests that while public access to team grading may be constrained, discussions about player welfare and workplace standards remain active. Watt’s vocal criticism and the ongoing debate over these report cards highlight deeper tensions about player agency and transparency within the NFL’s operations.
NFL won’t let actual players grade the workplace they attend every single day, but they’ll allow a 3rd party “grading” service to display their “rankings” of players on national television every Sunday night… https://t.co/JBQXOgFZIN
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) February 13, 2026
