2026 NFL Team Rankings Revealed: Why the Steelers Plummet to Dead Last While the Dolphins Soar to the Top

You can hide your report cards, fudge a signature, or shuffle them out of sight, but the truth has a way of leaking through the cracks. Just like a student caught red-handed, NFL teams have been trying to keep their “Team Report Cards” under wraps. Despite the league’s recent legal victory over the NFL Players Association to block the release of these annual surveys, the grades refused to stay secret this year. The Miami Dolphins once again top the list for excellence, while the Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves bottoming out for the first time, their facilities and field conditions drawing sharp criticism. As the dust settles on this unexpected reveal, it’s clear that some truths just aren’t meant to stay hidden — and the conversations around the league’s inner workings are just getting started. LEARN MORE

They always find out.

Students have tried for years to hide report cards from their parents after getting bad grades in school, but no forged signature is ever enough to prevent the truth from coming out. While the NFL won a grievance against the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) on Feb. 13 to prevent the annual release of “Team Report Cards,” it wasn’t enough to stop the leak.

The Miami Dolphins ranked No. 1 in the report cards for the third consecutive season, according to the report that was obtained by ESPN. The Minnesota Vikings ranked second and the Washington Commanders rounded out the three highest-rated franchises for 2026.

There was a change at the bottom, however, as the Pittsburgh Steelers checked in at No. 32 for the first time in the report card’s four-year history. Pittsburgh received low marks, especially for facilities. The results included owner Art Rooney’s ranking last for willingness to invest in facilities and the Steelers‘ locker room, which also received a failing grade.

The team’s field ranked last “by a wide margin,” highlighting a need for more investment to increase the standard. Acrisure Stadium’s grass turf was the subject of discussion after it was particularly torn up during a Week 6 game between the Steelers and Browns.

Also ranking in the bottom-three were the Arizona Cardinals at No. 31 and Cleveland Browns at No. 30.

1. Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

2. New York Jets – Arvell Reese, LB/DE, Ohio State

3. Arizona Cardinals – Spencer Fano, OT Utah

4. Tennessee Titans – Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami (Fla.)

5. New York Giants – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

6. Cleveland Browns – Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (Fla.)

7. Washington Commanders – David Bailey, OLB, Texas Tech

8. New Orleans Saints – Jeremiah Love, RB, Notre Dame

9. Kansas City Chiefs – Makai Lemon, WR, USC

10. Cincinnati Bengals – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

11. Miami Dolphins – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

12. Dallas Cowboys – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

14. Baltimore Ravens – Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

16. New York Jets – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

17. Detroit Lions – Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami (Fla.)

18. Minnesota Vikings – Peter Woods, DT, Clemson

19. Carolina Panthers – Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn

20. Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay Packers) – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana

22. Los Angeles Chargers – Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

23. Philadelphia Eagles – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

24. Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars) – KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

25. Chicago Bears – Caleb Banks, DT, Florida

26. Buffalo Bills – T.J. Parker, DE/OLB, Clemson

27. San Francisco 49ers – Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

28. Houston Texans – Blake Miller, OT, Clemson

29. Los Angeles Rams – Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

30. Denver Broncos – CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

31. New England Patriots – Cashius Howell, OLB, Texas A&M

32. Seattle Seahawks – Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina

This year’s survey includes results from 1,759 players and it was open from Nov. 2 to Dec. 11.

The overall grades range from A-plus to F-minus across 17 different categories. Those categories are:

Treatment of Families
Home Game Field
Food/Dining Area
Nutritionist/Dietician
Locker Room
Training Room
Training Staff
Weight Room
Strength Coaches
Position Coaches
Offensive Coordinator
Defensive Coordinator
Special Teams Coordinator
Team Travel
Head Coach
General Manager
Team Ownership

Players awarded only 15 A-plus grades across the league, with the Commanders receiving the most with three different categories. There were nine F-minus grades, with the Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals each getting one in two different categories.

It’s unclear how the league will react to the leak, since the grievance claimed that the report cards shouldn’t be released because they violated the collective bargaining agreement between the two parties. The ruling also barred the NFLPA from “publishing or publicly disclosing the results of future player Report Cards.”

Following the decision, the NFLPA said it would continue to collect the survey results, but wouldn’t release them.

Players, both current and former, were quick to criticize the grievance decision. Now those results have, at least in part, been revealed.

They just won’t be going on the fridge anytime soon.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL report cards: Steelers receive poor grade in leaked NFLPA survey