JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Rats in the locker room, no family space in the stadium and not enough room in the hot tub. These were some of the complaints reported by Jaguars players about the team’s facilities published in a report card issued by the NFL Players Association in which the Jaguars ranked near the bottom of the league as a franchise.
The report graded the following categories and used player input to rank teams: treatment of families, food service and nutrition, weight room, strength coaches, training room, training staff, locker room and team travel.
In the report, the NFLPA noted the No. 1 request “was unanimous — get rid of the rats! Players reported that for 3-4 weeks this season, there was a rat infestation in the locker room and laundry hampers.”
The Jaguars graded an F, tied for last in treatment of families.
They also scored near the bottom of the league in Food Service and Nutrition (D, tied for 22nd), weight room (D+, T-29th), training room (D-, T27th), and locker room (D-, T28th).
According to the report, the data was last sourced from March 1-April 1, 2022.
The three categories where the Jaguars scored the best included strength coaches (A-, T-17th), training staff (A, T-9th), and team travel (B, T15th).
In the support of players’ families, the report noted that the Jaguars are one of 14 teams that do not offer a family room in the stadium which forces players’ wives to breastfeed their babies “on the floor of the stadium’s public restrooms.” It is worth noting that the stadium does offer mom pods for any stadium visitor to breastfeed in a private and comfortable space. The Jaguars are also one of 11 teams that do not offer daycare at the stadium.
Food service and nutrition complaints seemed to come down to the quality of food; 98% of players said there was enough room in the cafeteria and all three meals are provided.
Room to operate was not there for the weight room. Many players complained that the room wasn’t large enough, according to the report.
The training room got a D- despite the presence of a steam room and sauna. Only 20% of players felt they had enough hot tub space and only 42% felt they had enough cold tub space.
Many of these complaints are likely to be addressed by the Jaguars’ new training facility, still under construction.
While 85% of the players felt they had enough space in the locker room, players reported that for three to four weeks, there was a rat infestation in the locker room and laundry hampers.
The report that included all 32 teams in the NFL was the result of a two-year long discussion by the NFLPA Board of Representatives to deliver information to prospective free agents.
Noted the report:
“Questions were sent to every player on the 2022 team rosters asking them their opinions about their club’s facilities, certain club personnel/coaches, and other work-related categories, such as club’s treatment of families and team travel (players were not asked questions about any club other than their 2022 employer). As a result of the confidential questionnaire, 1,300 players responded. There then was a qualitative follow up by the union, which resulted in the following “report card.”
