Pretty much anybody who matters in the NFL world, no matter their role, is in attendance at the scouting combine this week, for one reason or another. But the biggest news of Wednesday morning, so far, did not come from a player meeting, podium interview or leaked insider report.

Instead, the NFL is talking about the annual NFLPA player survey and team report cards, the results of which were released this morning. This year, over 1,600 players filled out and returned their survey — which included questions that touch on 11 different categories of how NFL organizations treat players.

Minnesota Vikings finish 2nd overall in NFLPA Player Survey

The categories of judgement include everything from “Treatment of Families”, quality of coaches/staff, nutrition + food options and team facilities. In 2024, the Minnesota Vikings ranked 2nd out of 32 NFL teams and in 2025, they held that same ranking. The only team that ranks higher overall is the Miami Dolphins.

The Minnesota Vikings rank top 5 in every category included in the 2025 NFLPA Player Survey, other than three — “Food/Dining Area”, “Nutritionist/Dietitian” and “Weight Room”, which all ranked in the top half of the league. If the Wilf Family wants to move into 1st place in 2026, they will have to address the weight room facilities and everything involving their food program and facilities at TCO Performance Center.

Treatment of Families: Minnesota Vikings (A+) – NFL Rank: No. 1

But there’s no doubt Vikings players have it better than just about any group of players in the NFL, year over year. As MN Vikings fans, we see some of what the organization does to make both current and former player feel comfortable in team facilities, and that includes their family members.

But clearly, the Wilfs do it better than anyone else because this is the second-straight season they have ranked No. 1 in the NFL in the “Treatment of Families” category. Players pointed to the daycare and family room provided by the Vikings during home games, as a major positive to playing here. But the rave reviews don’t end there.

The Vikings provide daycare during home games and a family room during home games.

• Players rate the post-game family area 9.02 out of 10, ranking them 3 out of 32 teams.
• The players feel that their team frequently organizes family events, which ranks 10 out of 32 teams.

2025 NFLPA Player Survey

Locker Room: Minnesota Vikings (A-) – NFL Rank: No. 1

Minnesota Vikings players love the locker room at U.S. Bank Stadium. According to the NFLPA player survey, almost every player who gave an opinion thought the lockers were spacious enough for very large football players.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Hire Controversial OL Coach

Every single returned survey said the locker room, as a whole, is adequate size and allows enough room for player to move around freely. Minnesota was only one of five teams that got a perfect score in locker room size.

• 98% of players feel they have enough room in their individual lockers, a ranking of 2 out of 32.
• 100% of players feel the locker room size is adequate, making the Vikings one of five teams in the NFL with a perfect score.

2025 NFLPA Player Survey

Training Staff: Minnesota Vikings (A) – NFL Rank: No. 2

Outside of the “Nutritionist/Dietician” category, one thing that is clear with this survey is that the Minnesota Vikings have all the right people in place, throughout their organization. That stretches to the training staff too, where the Vikings rank No. 2 overall.

Survey results showed that players never have to worry about getting one-on-one treatment from trainers and that they believe the training staff, as a whole, contributes to the team’s overall success.

• 94% of Vikings players report that they receive enough one-on-one training treatment, ranking them 4 out of 32 teams.
• The players feel that their training staff significantly contributes to their overall success, ranking them 2 of 32.

The Vikings revamped their training staff this offseason and saw their grade improve from a B to an A.

2025 NFLPA Player Survey

Kevin O’Connell, Wilf Family receive high praise too

While the Minnesota Vikings did not finish in the top two in either the NFLPA player survey head coach or ownership rankings, both finished third in their respective categories.

The Wilfs got their No. 3 overall ranking with a 9.83 out of 10 ranking for the owners’ “perceived willingness to invest in facilities” and 3rd highest ranking in “commitment to building a competitive team”.

Related: Top Heisman Candidate Meeting with Vikings at NFL Combine

Kevin O’Connell got his No. 3 overall ranking with 94% of players responding that the head coach is efficient with their time, which ranked 16th among head coaches. He ranked 3rd in “being highly receptive to locker room feedback”.

Categories the players voted on included everything from the “treatment of families” to the weight/locker rooms, to nutrition staff, to coaching staff to travel conditions. Then, based on the letter grades assigned by players, the NFLPA tallies up the votes and releases a report showing which organizations players appreciate playing for the most.

Confirmed: NFL players love playing for the Minnesota Vikings

The 2024 version of the player team report cards saw the Vikings fall one spot from their No. 1 overall ranking in 2023. Who took their spot? The Miami Dolphins, who seem to have completely flipped the toxic culture described by Brian Flores into one of the greatest atmospheres of any team in the league, under Mike McDaniel.

Minnesota, along with Miami, have separated themselves into their own tier in terms of what it means to run a world-class NFL workplace. The Vikings continue to impress across all categories in our second annual survey. Their facilities are incredible; their staff is rated highly by players; and the workplace experience for Vikings players is enhanced by the continued commitment by ownership to providing a world-class experience for players.

NFLPA – Vikings Team Player Report Cards

Minnesota ranks 1st in four different categories: the Treatment of Families (A), Nutritionist/Dietician (A), Locker Room (A) and strength coaches (A). Both Kevin O’Connell and the Wilf ownership group received an A+ grade from Vikings players.

The only coach ranked higher than Kevin O’Connell was Andy Reid. Say what you want about the growing pains for Kevin O’Connell as a play-caller and in-game manager, there is no denying that. But his players would run through a wall for KOC and that is something we have to keep in mind, while he is taking his lumps and learning on the job during the season.

Related: ESPN Expert Jordan Reid Reveals Likely Vikings Defensive Draft Targets to Paul Allen

Kevin O'Connell is the 2nd highest ranked head coach (behind Andy Reid) in the @NFLPA's 2024 league wide report card.

"98% of players feel Kevin O’Connell is efficient with their time (5th overall). The players believe Kevin O’Connell is very willing to listen to the locker room…

— vikesinsider (@vikesinsider) February 28, 2024

This is two weeks in a row we’ve had players get injured on turf fields. I think it’s time y’all take some of the money y’all make off us and invest in grass fields for every team around the league. The turf is literally like concrete it has no give when you plant @NFL

— De'Vondre Campbell (@Came_Along_Way) November 7, 2022

Now, the NFLPA has taken things a step further, demanding in an open letter on their website, that the NFL put an immediate ban on “slit film” surfaces. There are six stadiums across the league that use slit film turf, including US Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings.

The others include MetLife Stadium (Jets/Giants), Ford Field (Lions), Caesars Superdome (Saints), Lucas Oil Stadium (Colts) and Paycor Stadium (Bengals).

NFLPA Demands Ban of “Slit Film” Turf

1. The Immediate Replacement and Ban of all Slit Film Turf

Just like there are different types of grass, there are also different types of turf (Monofilament, Dual fiber, Slit film). The slit film playing surface has statistically higher in-game injury rates compared to all other surfaces for each of the following:

• Non-contact injuries
• Missed time injuries
• Lower extremity injuries
• Foot and ankle injuries

There are currently seven teams that use slit film in their stadiums (New York Giants, New York Jets, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, and Cincinnati Bengals).

The NFL and its experts have agreed with this data and acknowledge that the slit film field is less safe. Player leadership wrote a letter to the NFL this week demanding the immediate removal of these fields and a ban on them going forward, both in stadiums and for practice fields. The NFL has not only refused to mandate this change immediately, but they have also refused to commit to mandating a change away from slit film in the future at all.

The injuries on slit film are completely avoidable — both the NFL and NFLPA experts agree on the data — and yet the NFL will not protect players from a subpar surface.

NFLPA.com

More Demands from NFLPA

Banning slit film artificial turf was only one of four demands made by JC Tretter and the rest of the NFLPA on Saturday. The others included:

• No longer allowing games to be played on fields with clear visual abnormalities
• For players, it means we need to raise the field standards and test the safety and performance of all field surfaces.
• Clear the excess people and dangerous equipment from the sidelines

Studies have actually shown little difference in injuries between artificial turf and grass surfaces. But that could be why the NFLPA is targeting one specific type of turf, not all of them. While six teams use slit film, there are ten other artificial surface fields that do not.

If the Vikings are forced to immediately replace the turf at US Bank Stadium, due to this NFLPA letter, it will be the second time in two years. They put the current turf in before the 2020 season.

Honestly, I’m all for player safety but the NFLPA, in this case, are taking things way too far. The Vikings play a lot of home games on the exact turf they’re complaining about and haven’t had any more knee injuries than other teams around the league.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan