Study Asks Players To Evaluate NFL's Organizations, Coaches
A survey conducted by the Univ. of Pennsylvania's Wharton Sports Business Initiative (WSBI) last season for the first time asked NFL players about "issues related to their coaches" and to "name names, and the players overwhelmingly obliged," according to William Rhoden of the N.Y. TIMES. Taking part in the study were 1,440 players, "or roughly 80[%] of those active in 2007." In the study, players were asked to identify the worst and best organizations in the NFL, and the Raiders, Dolphins, Cardinals, Browns and Bengals were among the worst, while the Patriots, Colts, Cowboys, Packers and Steelers were among the best. When asked whom players "would most like to play for," players ranked the Colts' Tony Dungy first, followed by the Bears' Lovie Smith, the Patriots' Bill Belichick, the Chiefs' Herman Edwards and the Steelers' Mike Tomlin. When asked whom players "would least like to play for," the players named the Giants' Tom Coughlin, the Jets' Eric Mangini, the Buccaneers' Jon Gruden, former Falcons coach Bobby Petrino and Belichick. Ninety percent of the players said that they "respected their head coach, three-quarters said they trusted their head coach and 79[%] said their coach was top quality." The study "was intended to be the first in a series of annual player surveys that will examine a variety of aspects of NFL franchises -- including the front office and ownership." UPenn sociology department Chair Tukufu Zuberi, who co-conducted the study, said, "I think this survey is historic. Nothing like it has ever been done before. ... You always hear sportscasters and analysts ranking teams and ranking the best coaches and what is important about being a good coach. It's rare that the athletes themselves express their opinion. What this survey does is give the players a voice" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/26). The following charts details player rankings of the best and worst organizations in the NFL. No players nominated the Packers, Seahawks or Panthers as the NFL's worst organization (WSBI).
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PLAYERS' RANKINGS OF BEST NFL ORGANIZATIONS
|
|
RANK
|
TEAM
|
RANK
|
TEAM
|
|
1
|
Patriots
|
17
|
Texans
|
|
2
|
Colts
|
18
|
Chiefs |
|
3
|
Cowboys
|
19
|
49ers |
|
4
|
Packers |
20
|
Falcons |
|
5
|
Steelers |
21
|
Saints |
|
6
|
Broncos |
22
|
Giants |
|
7
|
Ravens |
23
|
Vikings |
|
8
|
Seahawks |
24
|
Rams |
|
9
|
Bears |
25
|
Jets |
|
10
|
Titans |
26
|
Bills |
|
11
|
Redskins |
27
|
Lions |
|
12
|
Panthers |
28
|
Bengals |
|
13
|
Eagles |
29
|
Browns |
|
14
|
Jaguars |
30
|
Cardinals |
|
15
|
Chargers |
31
|
Dolphins |
|
16
|
Buccaneers |
32
|
Raiders |
|
PLAYERS' RANKINGS OF WORST NFL ORGANIZATIONS
|
|
RANK
|
TEAM
|
RANK
|
TEAM
|
|
1
|
Raiders |
16
|
Texans |
|
2
|
Dolphins |
17
|
Redskins |
|
3
|
Cardinals |
18
|
Eagles |
|
4
|
Browns |
19t
|
Chiefs |
|
5
|
Bengals |
19t
|
Buccaneers |
|
6
|
Lions |
21
|
Bears |
|
7
|
Bills |
22
|
Cowboys |
|
8
|
Jets |
23t
|
Ravens |
|
9
|
Giants |
23t
|
Broncos |
|
10
|
Rams |
23t
|
Jaguars |
|
11
|
Vikings |
23t
|
Steelers |
|
12
|
Falcons |
23t
|
Chargers |
|
13t
|
Patriots |
28t
|
Colts |
|
13t
|
Saints |
28t
|
Titans |
|
13t
|
49ers |
|
|
|
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