The players spoke and the Washington Commanders listened.
After receiving the worst grades in the NFL for its training room and training staff in a survey released by the NFL Players Association on Feb. 28, the Commanders have continued to overhaul their staff.
In a poll of 1,706 players, the Commanders received an “F-minus” for its training room and an “F” for its training staff on the NFL Player Team Report Cards.
The Commanders had the worst overall report card out of all 32 NFL teams and also received “F-minus” grades for the locker room and treatment of players’ families.
“I’m not an F-minus guy,” team owner Josh Harris said at the league’s annual team meetings in March. “I didn’t even know you could get an F-minus. Obviously, we’ve jumped all over that.”
According to Liam Griffin of The Washington Times, the Commanders added two new members to the training staff on April 8. Ryan Juarez joins as director of rehabilitation and Jamal Randall Sr. as senior physical therapist and assistant athletic director.
Washington previously added Tim McGrath as the director of player health initiatives.
“In a survey released by the NFL players’ union in February, Commanders players expressed frustration with the status of the team’s training staff, highlighting a lack of full-time trainers and underwhelming equipment,” Griffin wrote.
Washington Commanders Changed Ownership in 2023
The Commanders changed ownership in July 2023, when Daniel Snyder sold the team to an investment group led by Josh Harris, who also owns the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils.
The final sale price was a reported $6.05 billion, making it the largest sale of a professional sports team of all time. Snyder purchased the team and its stadium for $800 million in 1999.
In 24 years under Snyder, Washington won just two playoff games, made the playoffs six times and became embroiled in controversies that ranged from sexual harassment issues in the workplace to underreporting ticket sales.
“This franchise is part of who I am, and who I’ve become as a person. But being a fan is not enough,” Harris said at his introductory press conference. “To be successful, we understand that we need to win championships, have a positive impact on the community, and great incredible memories and experiences for our fan base, much as I had as a youth growing up in Washington.”
“To our team and our incredible fan base in Washington, a new era of Washington football is here. It’s time to get to work.”
More Details About NFLPA Report Card on Commanders
According to The Washington Times, the Commanders’ three new staff members will be in charge of the two most important aspects of the training room — rehabilitating players from injuries and making the decisions on when they can return to action.
Washington has more problems than just the training staff that need to be fixed, as the NFLPA laid out in the report card’s detailed section on the Commanders.
“When asked what the number one issue respondents want to prioritize for fixing, most players couldn’t come up with just one,” the NFLPA wrote in its report. “Instead, the common answer was the entire facility. The players understand that the new club ownership didn’t create these current problems, and they are hopeful that the new team ownership is willing to do what it takes to fix them.”
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Commanders Continue Overhaul After Receiving NFL-Worst Report Card