Steelers Now
For the second year in a row, the Pittsburgh Steelers did not receive favorable reviews in the NFLPA’s annual report card. The Steelers once again 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 Pittsburgh Steelers are holding steady at 28th overall, with head coach Mike Tomlin receiving high praise. Players credit him for developing a strong team culture. It is no surprise that Tomlin once again received an A grade as head coach,” the Steelers’ NFLPA overview report stated.
Team president Art Rooney II ranked 28 of 32 owners in a composite score that considered willingness to invest in facilities, contribution to positive team culture and commitment to building a competitive team.
“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 overview report stated.
Rooney II’s average rating for perceived willingness to invest in the facilities is 6.00 out of 10 from the Steelers players, a ranking of 30 out of 32 owners in the league. The players feel that Tomlin is moderately receptive to locker room feedback on the team’s needs, ranking him 15 of 32 head coaches in the league.
The Steelers hired a new strength and conditioning staff last year, but ranked dead last in strength coaches in the report card. Last year, the Steelers graded their strength and conditioning coaches a B+, 20/32. Surveys around the NFL were conducted between August 26-Nov. 20.
Tomlin admitted during his post-season press conference that the Steelers had a problem with soft tissue injuries during the 2025 season, and that conversations on how to make corrections to that issue have already begun.
“Those types of discussions are going on on a lot of levels,” Tomlin said. “How can we keep our team healthier, was a discussion that happened yesterday, for example. We experienced a rash of soft tissue injuries this year. That was impactful.”
A Steelers Now study in early December showed that by then, the Steelers already had a massive year-over-year increase in soft tissue injuries. The Steelers ended the season with 57 man-games lost from expected contributors to soft tissue injuries. They had just 23 man-games lost to such injuries in 2023.
Seventy-five percent of players report that they get an individualized training plan from their strength coaching staff, ranking the team 31 out of 32. The players feel that their strength coaches slightly contribute to their overall success, a rank of 32 out of 32 teams.
The players feel that their dietician is not accessible enough, a ranking of 31 out of 32. Players want their team nutritionist to be there more often.
