Buccaneers release statement in response to low grades NFLPA report card

All eyes are on Indianapolis and the NFL Combine, but Wednesday saw the football world zoom out a bit thanks to the release of the annual NFLPA report card.

Each year players submit anonymous feedback on how their franchise treats them, with grades being assigned to things like treatment of families, locker room cleanliness, and training facilities among other things.

This year the Tampa Bay Buccaneers graded out near the bottom of the league, earning an 'F' based on the criteria scored by its own players. The main complaint seemed to be the unwillingness of ownership to invest in team facilities and the general frugalness of the Glazer's when it comes things like making players pay a fee in order to avoid having roommates on road trips.

"Club owner Joel Glazer ranks 29th across the league when it comes to the question about a perceived willingness to invest in the facilities, and the reason for assessment is reflected in the data collected across categories. The players described the locker room as “unclean” and “smelly,” and they even cited seeing bugs consistently in the showers," part of the report read.

Players also reported that the Buccaneers charge $90 per child for gameday Day Care, something that most other teams offer free of charge.

Buccaneers release statement after low grades NFLPA report card

After the report cards were released, and the team was dragged through the mud, the Buccaneers formally responded to the criticism by releasing a statement.

It's an absolutely brutal look for the Buccaneers and the Glazer family. Things like how cheap the team is with its facilities and travel were among the most damning aspects of the report, with things complaints ranging from how players need to sit in small seats in the back of planes to players grading Joel Glazer as a 'D-' owner.

Not all of the report was negative, though. Todd Bowles scored a 90 percent when players were asked about how he led the team, and facilities like the training room and weight room received high marks. While the cafeteria food received an average grade, the team's nutritionists were given a 'B' grade.

The main takeaway seems to be that ownership is largely disliked by the players, while the staff that works more closely with them every day scored much higher. This isn't anything new, as the Bucs were graded embarrassingly low last year but it's a bit of a bummer that things have gotten worse than they were before.

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