Steelers Now
Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II was tabbed as the third-cheapest owner in the NFL by Action Network, behind only Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots and Michael Bidwill of the Arizona Cardinals.
Action Network looked at team facilities, off-field perks like food, and ownership opinion from the 2025 NFL Player Report Card.
“The Steelers slot in third thanks to a D-graded locker room that players describe as outdated and cramped, even though the franchise valuation is strong,” Kathy Morris of Action Network wrote. “Add in a D grade in ownership, with Rooney regularly underinvesting in upgrades, and the pattern is hard to miss. For a brand that sells itself as one of the league’s blue bloods, players say the daily environment feels far from premium.”
New Jets owner Woody Johnson received the league’s only F in ownership, paired with a C- food grade and D+ locker room, ranking him fourth in cheapness even though the team is worth $8.1 billion.
The Cincinnati Bengals cheap out on food, running the worst food program in the NFL.
For the second year in a row, the Steelers did not receive favorable reviews in the NFLPA’s annual facilities report card. The Steelers once again were ranked No. 28 out of 32 teams.
The Steelers made some improvements, most notably by adding a gameday daycare for players. That raised their family support grade from an F- to a C-. But overall, the Steelers are still lacking in several key departments.
The state of the Steelers facilities came up again recently due to the New York Jets revealing a state of the art locker room at the team’s facility.
Former Steelers wide receiver Ryan Switzer defended the Steelers facilities on X. He loves the old-school traditions that the franchise carries.
“That’s Heinz. The one at the Southside facility is a lot smaller,” Switzer responded to a fan this past July. “Call me crazy – but one of the coolest parts about being a Steeler was the nostalgic of the wooden lockers, non-modernized locker room. You felt the history everyday you went to work.”
The biggest issue is that the Steelers just lack space at their South Side facility. Rooney even said during an interview with Jenna Harner of WPXI that they potentially have to look into a new facility.
Rooney’s average rating for perceived willingness to invest in the facilities was 6.00 out of 10 from the Steelers players, a ranking of 30 out of 32 owners in the league, according to the NFLPA report. The players feel that Mike Tomlin was moderately receptive to locker room feedback on the team’s needs, ranking him 15 of 32 head coaches in the league.
“When asked to identify top improvement areas, players mention locker room, which is in serious need of renovation, and the strength staff, which scores low on providing individualized training plans and contributing to the players’ success,” the NFLPA overview report stated.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: [Art Rooney II Tabbed...
