The NFL has made a controversial ruling that directly impacts the Detroit Lions and every team in the league.

According to a league memorandum sent to all franchises, the NFL has officially won a grievance against the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) regarding the league’s annual team report cards. As a result, the NFLPA has now been prohibited from publishing or publicly releasing future player report card results.

Team report cards have gained major attention in recent seasons for exposing how franchises treat players in areas such as facilities, locker rooms, nutrition programs, training staff, and ownership involvement. Several teams were publicly criticized after receiving poor grades, which often pressured organizations into making improvements.

In its ruling, the arbitrator determined that the NFLPA’s public release of the report cards violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

“The arbitrator held that the publication of Report Cards disparaging NFL clubs and individuals violates the Collective Bargaining Agreement and issued an Order prohibiting the NFLPA from publishing or publicly disclosing the results of future Report Cards,” the NFL memo stated.

The league also criticized the methodology used to create the report cards, suggesting they were incomplete and potentially misleading.

“These facts highlight the numerous and significant limitations in the methodology and accuracy of the Team Report Card results,” the memo continued. “Clubs should continue to solicit feedback directly from their own players to assess strengths and opportunities for improvement.”

Detroit Lions Ranked in Top 10 Last Season

Before the ruling, the Detroit Lions made major progress in the most recent report card, finishing ninth overall when the 2025 results were released.

Head coach Dan Campbell received an A+ grade for the second straight year, earning high praise from players for leadership and culture. Players highlighted strong locker room culture and organizational leadership as the team’s biggest strengths.

Areas identified for improvement included:

Updating outdated locker room facilities

Further improving the team’s food and nutrition program

Both areas had already shown progress in recent seasons.

NFL Decision Raises Transparency Concerns

The NFL’s decision is expected to frustrate the NFLPA, as the report cards often drove teams to improve working conditions for players. Public accountability forced some franchises to invest in better facilities, staffing, and player services.

With the report cards no longer publicly available, concerns remain that certain teams may reduce investment without public pressure, potentially putting players at a disadvantage.

While teams can still gather internal feedback from players, the loss of public transparency removes one of the league’s strongest tools for highlighting organizational shortcomings.