Sports
NFLPA releases team-by-team report cards
INDIANAPOLIS – For the second consecutive year, the NFL Players Association on Wednesday released its team-by-team report cards, which assess players’ working conditions and environments throughout their seasons and offseasons.
The Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars rounded out the top five in terms of overall grades.
Meanwhile, for a second straight season, the Washington Commanders received the lowest grades in the league while the repeat Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs ranked 31st overall. The Los Angeles Chargers (30th), New England Patriots (29th) and Pittsburgh Steelers (28th) round out the bottom five.
Team grade categories included their training room, training staff, weight room, strength coaches, team travel, head coach and ownership. Owners were graded on players’ beliefs their ownership groups operate with a willingness to invest in team facilities.
The survey data was gathered from August to November of the 2023 season. A total of 1,750 players (up from the roughly 1,300 participants in 2022) took part in the survey. NFLPA leaders said they were encouraged by the increase in participation this year. Roughly 77 percent of all NFL players took part in the survey. Players were instructed to grade their teams and from there, the grades were tallied and ranked.
The Player Team Report Cards are back. Last year, the report cards led to players feeling more informed about their workplace & this year several new categories were added including Head Coach, Owner + Dietician/Nutritionist.
Take a look here: https://t.co/RV0ZNDNb2h. pic.twitter.com/vfEv6A7d2s— NFLPA (@NFLPA) February 28, 2024
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers received an F on team travel largely because players with four seasons or less and non-starters have to have roommates on road trips and are charged $1,750 per player if they desire their own room.
The Chiefs received low grades as a result of frustrations by players after ownership had promised to upgrade the out-of-date locker room.
However, for a second consecutive year, Clark Hunt and Kansas City didn’t make upgrades to the locker room besides replacing the stools players were given to sit on in front of their lockers with chairs with backs on them. Chiefs players were told there was no time to adequately upgrade the team facilities because their season extended into February due to their Super Bowl run in 2022.
Kansas City tied for first with the Detroit Lions and Vikings in terms of head-coaching grades. Andy Reid, Dan Campbell and Kevin O’Connell each received A-plus grades. The coach to receive the lowest grade was Josh McDaniels, whom the Las Vegas Raiders fired during the season.
“I would say things have improved and we’re glad that they are,” NFL Players Association president J.C. Tretter, a retired offensive lineman, said. “Our whole goal of this … (involves) highlighting the good teams, highlighting the team that could improve and a drive for change to make things get better for players, both immediately and long term.”
NFLPA leaders hope the report cards serve as a tool to ensure accountability and prompt team owners and leadership teams to provide their players with improved facilities, adequate nutrition, medical care, accommodations for families and more.
Lloyd Howell, the NFLPA’s new executive director, spent much of last season traveling to meet with owners of all 32 teams and discuss working conditions. Some of those conversations centered on the findings of last year’s results. Howell said many owners are receptive to improving conditions.
“This is not a shaming exercise,” Howell said. “This is really an opportunity to recognize those teams and environments that are doing well — that are doing all the right things. This is players talking about their working conditions and what they like and what they’d like to see improved.”
The findings of the survey, which was conducted by a third-party survey service, are fascinating, but interestingly enough, the union found no correlation between winning and losing and the quality of the grades teams received.
This year, the union added several categories, which included ownership, head coach, nutritionists and dietitians.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross received the highest ownership grade, while Hunt received the lowest.
A year after ranking among the worst teams in the league, the Jaguars opened a new team headquarters. The rat infestation that prompted complaints and low grades in 2023 is no longer an issue. The Cincinnati Bengals ranked among the worst in terms of cafeteria grades in 2023 because meals weren’t provided throughout the day. A year later, the team began offering three meals a day on Wednesdays but still has a ways to go before players feel adequately cared for.
The Commanders ranked among the worst overall under Daniel Snyder last season and now have a new owner in Josh Harris. The ownership grade increased, but the facilities grades improved only slightly, which is understandable given the fact Harris, who bought the team in late July, has had limited time to execute upgrades.
Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys dropped from fifth to 12th, with frustrations over limited resources and understaffed training staff causing the drop in player satisfaction.
One of the greatest areas of concern for players is adequate resources and staffing of the training rooms. Many teams are short-staffed in this department, and the NFLPA has been engaged in conversations with the NFL about the need for a threshold for the number of trainers employed by a team to ensure an adequate trainer-to-player ratio that would ensure players receive adequate care for injuries.
The NFL released a statement saying the league and the teams “encourage and solicit player feedback to help improve all facets of their NFL experience. We look forward to getting the opportunity to review the union’s questionnaire, and the data supporting it.”
The league added that it invited the union to join it “in a rigorous and third-party scientific-based survey as we have previously done.”
Required reading
(Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
Sports
ESPN’s Stephen A Smith hears boos from WrestleMania 42 crowd
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LAS VEGAS – Danhausen’s curse may be real after all – just ask Stephen A. Smith and the New York Mets.
While the latter dropped their 10th game in a row, Smith got his share of the curse on Saturday night during Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. Smith was in attendance for WWE’s premier event of the year and heard massive boos from the crowd.
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith was sitting ringside to watch the action. The ESPN star appeared on the videoboard above the ring at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. He appeared to embrace the reaction and smiled through it.
The boos came after Danhausen appeared on “First Take” on Friday – much to the chagrin of the sports pundit. Smith appeared perplexed by Danhausen’s appearance. Smith said he heard about Danhausen and called him a “bad luck charm.”
Danhausen said Smith had been “rude” to him and put the dreaded “curse” on the commentator.
WWE STAR DANHAUSEN SAYS METS ‘CURSE’ ISN’T EXACTLY LIFTED AS TEAM DROPS NINTH STRAIGHT GAME
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith is far from the only one dealing with the effects of the “curse.”
Danhausen agreed to “un-curse” the Mets during their losing streak. However, he told Fox News Digital earlier this week that there was a reason why the curse’s removal didn’t take full effect.
“I did un-curse the Mets. But it didn’t work because, I believe it was Brian Gewirtz who did not pay Danhausen. He did not send me my money so it did not take full effect,” Danhausen said. “Once I have the money, perhaps it will actually work because right now it’s probably about a half of an un-cursing. It’s like a layaway situation.”
Danhausen enters the arena before his match against Kit Wilson during SmackDown at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on April 10, 2026. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
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On “Friday Night SmackDown,” WWE stars like The Miz and Kit Wilson were also targets of Danhausen’s curse.
Sports
After 55 years as a broadcaster in L.A., Randy Rosenbloom is leaving town
It’s time to reveal memories, laughs and crazy times from Randy Rosenbloom’s 55 years as a TV/radio broadcaster in Los Angeles. He’s hopping in a car next Sunday with his wife, saying goodbye to a North Hollywood house that’s been in his family since 1952 and driving 3,300 miles to his new home in Greenville, S.C.
“When I walk out, I’ll probably break down,” he said.
He graduated from North Hollywood High in 1969. He got his first paid job in 1971 calling Hart basketball games for NBC Cable Newhall for $10 a game. It began an adventure of a lifetime.
“I never knew if I overachieved or underachieved. I just did what I loved,” he said.
Randy Rosenbloom (left) used to work with former UCLA coach John Wooden for TV games.
(Randy Rosenbloom)
John Wooden, Jerry Tarkanian and Jim Harrick were among his expert commentators when he did play by play for college basketball games. He called volleyball at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games for NBC and rowing in 2004. He’s worked more than 100 championship high school events. He did play by play for the first and only Reebok Bowl at Angel Stadium in 1994 won by Bishop Amat over Sylmar, 35-14.
“There were about 5,000, 6,000 people there and I remember thinking nobody watched the game. We ended up with a 5.7 TV rating on Channel 13 in Los Angeles, which is higher than most Lakers games.”
He conducted interviews with NFL Hall of Famers Gale Sayers and Johnny Unitas and boxing greats Robert Duran, Thomas Hearn and Sugar Ray Leonard. He’s worked with baseball greats Steve Garvey and Doug DeCinces. He called games with former USC coach Rod Dedeaux. He was in the radio booth for Bret Saberhagen’s 1982 no-hitter in the City Section championship game at Dodger Stadium. He was a nightly sportscaster for KADY in Ventura.
Randy Rosenbloom, left, with his volleyball broadcast partners, Kirk Kilgour and Bill Walton.
(Randy Rosenbloom)
He was the voice of Fresno State football and basketball. He also did Nevada Las Vegas football and basketball games. He called bowl games and Little League games. He was a public address announcer for basketball at the 1984 Olympic Games with Michael Jordan the star and did the P.A. for Toluca Little League.
Nothing was too small or too big for him.
“I loved everything,” he said.
He called at least 10 East L.A. Classic football games between Garfield and Roosevelt. He was there when Narbonne and San Pedro tied 21-21 in the 2008 City championship game at the Coliseum on a San Pedro touchdown with one second left.
Probably his most notable tale came when he was doing radio play-by-play at a 1998 college bowl game in Montgomery, Ala.
“I look down and a giant tarantula is crawling up my pants,” he said. “My color man took all the press notes, wadded them up and hit the tarantula like swinging a bat.”
Did Rosenbloom tell the audience what was happening?
“I stayed calm,” he said.
Then there was the time he was in the press box at Sam Boyd Stadium and a bat flew in and attached itself to the wooden press box right next to him before flying away after he said, “UNLV wins.”
Recently, he’s been putting together high school TV packages for LA36 and calling travel ball basketball games. He’ll still keep doing a radio gambling show from his new home, but he’s cutting ties to Los Angeles to move closer to grandchildren.
“I’m retiring from Los Angeles. I’m leaving the market,” he said.
Hopefully he’ll continue via Zoom to do a weekly podcast with me for The Times.
He’s a true professional who’s versatility and work ethic made him a reliable hire from the age of 18 through his current age of 74.
He’s a member of the City Section Hall of Fame and the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. He once threw the shot put 51 feet, 7 1/2 inches, which is his claim to fame at North Hollywood High.
One time an ESPN graphic before a show spelled his name “Rosenbloom” then changed it to “Rosenblum” for postgame. It was worth a good laugh.
He always adjusts, improvises and ad-libs. He expects to enjoy his time in South Carolina, but he better watch out for tarantulas. They seem to like him.
Sports
Becky Lynch enters exclusive WWE club with Women’s Intercontinental Championship win at WrestleMania 42
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LAS VEGAS – Becky Lynch entered an atmosphere no other WWE women’s superstar has ever reached as she won the Women’s Intercontinental Championship over AJ Lee on Saturday night at WrestleMania 42.
Lynch became the first person to hold the Women’s Intercontinental Championship three times after she pinned Lee. She first won the title against Lyra Valkyria in June 2025 and then again against Maxxine Dupri in November.
Becky Lynch celebrates with the belt after defeating AJ Lee during their women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
She dropped the belt to Lee at the Elimination Chamber, sparking a monthslong feud with her.
Lee gave Lynch the chance at the title in the weeks prior to WrestleMania 42. But it appeared Lee played right into Lynch’s plans. Despite arguing with referee Jessica Carr for most of the match, Lynch was able to tactfully tear down a rope buckle and use it to her advantage.
Lynch hit Lee with a Manhandle Slam and pinned her for the win.
WWE STARS REVEAL WHAT MAKES WRESTLEMANIA SO SPECIAL: ‘IT’S THE SUPER BOWL OF PRO WRESTLING’
AJ Lee reacts after losing to Becky Lynch in their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
It’s the second straight year Lynch will leave Las Vegas as champion. She returned to WWE at WrestleMania 41, teaming with Valkyria, to win the women’s tag titles. She will now leave Allegiant Stadium as the women’s intercontinental champion.
Lynch is now a seven-time women’s champion, three-time women’s intercontinental champion and two-time tag team champion.
Becky Lynch withstands AJ Lee during their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match on night one of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Lee’s reign as champion ended really before it could really begin. WrestleMania 42 was her first appearance at the event in 11 years. It’s unclear where Lee will go from here.
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