The NFL has secured a significant victory against the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) regarding the annual team report cards that players used to evaluate their respective teams. Initially, the NFLPA claimed that these report cards violated the collective bargaining agreement, but the NFL argued that the reports breached the league’s constitutional requirements, which prevent public criticism of teams by players.

During the grievance, the NFL argued that the report cards promoted a critical stance against team management and coaches. The NFLPA used these cards to publish evaluations that ranked teams from 1 to 32 in various aspects.

In a memo referenced by CBS Sports, the NFL noted that witnesses from the NFLPA characterized the report cards as a form of “union speech” and highlighted instances of “cherry-picked” information affecting the ratings.

Despite the ruling, the NFLPA intends to continue conducting these surveys privately, stating they view it as an essential avenue for teams to receive input from their players. The union expressed disagreement with the ruling but emphasized that players will still access the results, which could streamline communications between players and teams going forward.

“The ruling upholds our right to survey players and share results with players and clubs, and while we disagree with the restriction on public disclosure, the program and its impact will persist,” the NFLPA stated.

In the latest report card, the Miami Dolphins emerged as the highest-ranked team, while the Arizona Cardinals found themselves at the bottom.