INDIANAPOLIS — The NFL Players Association revealed Wednesday a roughly 1,300-player survey about working conditions across 32 teams.
Results ranged from a rat problem in the Jaguars locker room (Jacksonville is expected to open a new facility this year), to Cardinals players revealing they might be the only ones having nightly dinner deducted from their paychecks, to the Vikings getting the NFL's top scores when judged across eight categories by their players.
The Vikings received an "A" in every category, ranging from treatment of families to nutrition, travel, and the conditions of the locker room, weight room and training rooms. Minnesota's lowest grade was an "A-" in nutrition for players. The Dolphins and Raiders trailed behind the Vikings for best scores, while the Chargers, Cardinals and Commanders formed the bottom.
Veteran players lauded the transition under first-year coach Kevin O'Connell, who made major changes — overhauling the training staff and embracing player feedback — and small gestures like allowing players to use the first-class seats on team flights instead of executives and coaches.
"[We] talk a lot about culture," O'Connell said. "Culture is people, and it's something we strive to work on every single day, and I think our players feel that. Whether it's the different elements that go into that survey and I'm not clear on a ton of the details on it, but I can say I'm not surprised and I'm thankful for our players and their communication with us to help make that happen."
NFLPA President JC Tretter said players have talked for years about creating a free agency guide to help find the best landing spots.
Money talks in free agency. But Tretter is hoping players can talk more, too.
"For the first time, we are peeling back the curtain on issues that we talk about among ourselves as players but have been unable to organize and publish in a centralized way," Tretter wrote in the survey. "Our hope is that transparency across the NFL can help lead to positive changes for players, which is what our union is all about."
Coaching staff
O'Connell has conducted Zoom interviews with coaching candidates this week in Indianapolis to finalize the 2023 staff. The Vikings have yet to fill a few openings, and O'Connell said new defensive coordinator Brian Flores has been involved in interviews to replace assistant linebackers coach Sam Siefkes and assistant defensive line coach A'lique Terry. Both left for promotions, as did assistant special teams coach Ben Kotwica.
"It's provided Flo and I the chance to spend more time together," O'Connell said. "Just in the interview setting, which you can learn even more about people."
Value of the combine
Some NFL head coaches, like the 49ers' Kyle Shanahan, Patriots' Bill Belichick and Rams' Sean McVay, do not regularly attend the scouting combine. The Packers' Matt LaFleur also abstained this year. The Vikings brought a full contingent with O'Connell, who prioritizes meeting and evaluating players in person, and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who recalled meeting Browns general manager (and mentor) Andrew Berry at the JW Marriott.
"Every time I walk by that elevator bank down there," Adofo-Mensah said, "I think about my chance to meet with Andrew Berry, and that's partially why I'm up here."
Vikings East
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, the longtime Vikings assistant coach for 14 seasons, cycled through a couple familiar names on his Cleveland staff this offseason. Stefanski fired special teams coordinator Mike Priefer — his Vikings co-worker from 2011-2018 — and hired former Vikings offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave as an adviser after losing quarterbacks coach Drew Petzing (another ex-Vikings assistant) to the Cardinals.
"Bill won't be in the quarterback room," Stefanski said. "He'll be really contributing throughout our entire staff. Bill has a ton of experience as an offensive coordinator in this league."