Spoiler alert: Players across the NFL assume Patrick Mahomes is fairly good.
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and two-time MVP was our runaway winner as the most effective player within the recreation immediately, in response to the 85 gamers our beat writers from The Athletic spoke to over the previous month. That’s no shock, however the remainder of the solutions weren’t so apparent, as we got down to conduct our first nameless NFL player poll.
We requested every player we spoke to the identical set of questions, though not each player answered all of them. They had been granted anonymity with a view to candidly supply their opinions on the league’s gamers, coaches, commissioner and a number of the largest matters going through the league immediately — together with working again salaries, the grass versus turf debate and extra.
Players had been polled on who dishes the most effective trash speak, which coach in addition to their very own they’d wish to play for and who’re essentially the most underrated gamers within the league. Some of the extra entertaining responses got here when gamers had been requested which workforce has essentially the most annoying fan base.
“Buffalo,” one player responded. “They be mooning folks and it’s like, ‘Why y’all showing y’all ass?’ F— outta here with that.”
Sorry, Bills followers, similar to the standings proper now, that wasn’t sufficient to get you into first place.
Throughout this player poll — and upcoming tales that can dive deeper into a number of the questions — we hope you be taught extra about what immediately’s NFL gamers actually assume.
(Editor’s be aware: In some instances, the mixed percentages of all of the solutions to a query could not add as much as 100%, as a result of particular person percentages have been rounded up or right down to the closest tenth of a share level. Half-votes had been awarded if a player gave two solutions to a query.)
Did you actually count on anyone else? Nearly half of the respondents chosen Mahomes, many with out giving it a lot thought.
“He’s Patrick Mahomes,” stated one player.
“Don’t you have to say him?” added one other.
“There’s nobody like him,” another stated.
As if any justification for this vote was wanted, one player provided this: “No matter how much you’re down, he still can bring your team back.”
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That stated, greater than half of the 84 respondents to this query went a special path, with Los Angeles Rams defensive sort out Aaron Donald incomes runner-up honors.
“It’s self-explanatory on that one. No one can stop him,” provided one player.
Said one player who selected the Cleveland Browns’ Myles Garrett: “I was gonna sit here and debate quarterbacks, but there’s your answer. The guy is out of this world.”
Talking trash is part of sports activities, however there are some gamers within the NFL extra inclined to ruffle feathers with their on-field chatter.
Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who’s now with the Detroit Lions after spending final season with the Philadelphia Eagles throughout their Super Bowl run, tops the listing. He did so regardless of not taking part in since Week 2, when he injured a pectoral muscle.
“I think that’s just kind of like his schtick,” one player stated. “I don’t know if it necessarily works, but it’s what he reverts to.”
Jalen Ramsey, who additionally missed prolonged time earlier than returning to the sector final month for the Miami Dolphins, obtained the second-most votes. “He has a lot to say,” one player opined.
And don’t for a second assume trash speak is proscribed to only defensive gamers. The Los Angeles Chargers’ Keenan Allen, one of many NFL’s most constant wideouts, is understood to have a factor or two to say throughout video games. “Big-time s— talker,” one player stated. “It’s nonstop.”
Offensive linemen are likely to get in on the act, too. Said a player of Carolina Panthers guard Austin Corbett: “I think his trash-talking is pretty elite. It’s the psychological warfare. It’s so nice you don’t even know what’s going on.”
Nearly 1 / 4 of the gamers we spoke to selected C.J. Gardner-Johnson because the league’s greatest trash-talker. (Rey Del Rio / Getty Images)
When unsure, go along with the pinnacle coach who remarkably has by no means had a shedding season. That continues to be the excellence for Mike Tomlin, who once more has the Pittsburgh Steelers effectively on their technique to a seventeenth consecutive .500 or higher marketing campaign with him in cost.
“His messaging, leadership and attitude seem consistent with a winning formula,” one player stated.
“He’s tough and accountable, and he demands that out of his players,” added one other.
From the veteran, Super Bowl-winning coach in Tomlin, gamers shifted to the younger, quirky offensive mastermind in Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel.
“He seems like a pretty fun coach to play for,” one player stated of the 40-year-old in his second season in Miami.
Not far behind had been Kansas City’s Andy Reid and Detroit’s Dan Campbell, the latter of whom is likely to be the favourite for this season’s NFL Coach of the Year award.
“A guy who really loves ball,” stated a player who selected Reid. “So I think that’s a really good coach.”
Of Campbell, one other player stated: “I appreciate coaches that are players’ coaches and get the best out of their players.”
Sometimes on-field manufacturing doesn’t all the time result in gamers getting the respect they deserve. Regardless of how effectively some carry out, their names aren’t introduced up as a lot when discussing the highest guys at their respective positions.
Cincinnati Bengals large receiver Tee Higgins led the vote, however there are a large number of gamers who obtained recognition amongst their friends for being underrated.
“His production speaks for itself, and nobody ever talks about him when the topic of best RBs in the league comes up,” one player stated of Chargers dual-threat working again Austin Ekeler. “He’s vital to that offense running and also in the pass game,” one other player added.
And although the tight finish dialogue is often dominated by Chiefs All-Pro Travis Kelce, gamers really feel the San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle and Baltimore Ravens’ Mark Andrews ought to get much more credit score than they already do.
“I think he’s the best tight end in the league,” one player stated unapologetically about Kittle.
“I don’t know how underrated he is, but everybody is always talking about Kelce and Kittle, not him,” one other player stated in regard to Andrews.
It seems gamers aren’t scared away from the sight of the stadium that’s hosted 5 consecutive AFC Championship Games. (Then once more, perhaps Arrowhead Stadium’s regular presence on their TV is influencing their resolution.)
Whatever the rationale, gamers love taking part in within the NFL’s third-oldest stadium (opened in 1972) even when some did point out points with Kansas City’s cramped locker rooms.
“That place is electric,” one player stated. “That’s one of the coolest places to play. In my opinion, the loudest in the NFL.”
It could also be one of many NFL’s oldest venues, however gamers admire the loud environment at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium. (Kara Durrette / Getty Images)
Minnesota’s seven-year-old U.S. Bank Stadium — regardless of being an indoor stadium with turf — was lauded for most of the similar ear-rattling causes.
“That place was f—ing loud,” one player stated.
Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium additionally fared effectively, together with Green Bay’s historic Lambeau Field — “The fans and the atmosphere are the best in the league.” — and Seattle’s Lumen Field.
“If it was grass — whoo! — it would be perfect,” one player who selected Seattle stated, whereas one other added: “It almost feels like you’re in a bird’s nest. Gotham City.”
Arrowhead and U.S. Bank led the way in which for greatest stadiums, however gamers had reverse viewpoints of MetLife Stadium, FedEx Field and Highmark Stadium, which had been the highest vote-getters for worst to play in.
The Commanders’ residence discipline has by no means been a well-liked taking part in vacation spot, and this poll solidified that even earlier than Sunday, when there wasn’t any sizzling water or adequate water stress for gamers to bathe after the New York Giants’ win over Washington.
“Almost everything about (FedEx) is below the standard of what an NFL stadium should be,” one player stated. “The place is just a dump,” stated one other.
As for MetLife, the place each the Giants and Jets play, a player voiced that the “turf sucks and the whole place is lame.” Another agreed concerning the turf, including that the “fans are horrible. Everything about that place is horrible.”
Though Lambeau Field was among the many prime 5 for greatest stadium, it was additionally prime 5 for the worst stadium — for one apparent purpose: “F—ing Green Bay, because it’s super cold!”
Meanwhile, the Oakland Coliseum hasn’t been used for the reason that Raiders moved to Las Vegas in 2020 however nonetheless managed to choose up a few votes.
The Eagles and Cowboys apparently aren’t simply competing on the sector, with each grabbing a few quarter of the votes from the 73 gamers who answered this query.
“Just loud, rude and obnoxious,” one player stated of Eagles followers, who is likely to be nodding alongside in settlement at this second. “They just swear they’re the biggest football gurus on earth,” added one other.
Said a player who picked the Cowboys: “They usually think they should win the Super Bowl every year.”
Half of our respondents wasted little time in selecting the Eagles or Cowboys followers as essentially the most annoying. (Andy Lewis / Icon Sportswire through Getty Images)
As for the AFC East battle for third place between the Bills and Jets, whereas mooning in Buffalo earned Bills followers demerits, the basic “J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets” chant drove one player to choose New York.
“That J-E-T-S stuff. They were doing that during warmups,” he stated.
From the skin wanting in, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell doesn’t seem like beloved throughout the league. But when speaking with gamers for our poll, nearly all of voters gave him their seal of approval.
“He continues to elevate the league and make everyone more money,” one player stated.
Another player stated he’d give Goodell a thumbs up due to “the way he’s growing the game right now, the way he’s expanding it. Because at one point when I was in college, and all of the concussion stuff was coming out, I was scared, like, ‘Hey, football might not last,’ but now, I don’t feel that way.”
Not everybody polled was in favor of Goodell’s method.
“Thumbs down. He’s done fined me too many times,” one player added, whereas one other talked about Goodell “forgets too often that the league is about the players.”
The largest story right here is likely to be that two gamers — among the many 81 who responded — gave NFL officers a ten out of 10 ranking. Overall, although, the outcomes are largely what you’d count on, with the overwhelming majority of scores falling within the center vary, as 57 gamers (70.4 %) chosen between a 4 and seven.
“They miss some calls, but it’s a really hard job,” stated one sympathetic player who rated them an 8.
“Either they’re missing obvious calls or they’re calling everything,” stated a player who rated them a 4. “There’s no in-between, and it varies so much between crews that you never know what to expect.”
One player who gave a 2 ranking provided an answer for enchancment: “They all should be full-time employees. It’s a no-brainer.”
There’s no disputing how gamers throughout the league really feel concerning the ongoing turf versus grass debate. Nearly 83 % of those that gave a solution stated it’s an actual concern.
“You wake up in the morning feeling 10 times better after you played on grass compared to when you played on turf,” stated one player.
“I’ve been vocal about it. I think our locker room is pretty unified on it,” one other player added. “It sucks, and there’s enough money to eliminate it. It’s time.”
Some say they will really feel the distinction not solely after video games however earlier than the primary snap is taken.
“Even warming up on the turf field in Minnesota hurt my knees,” a player declared.
“You feel like s—,” a lineman added. “Especially being a big guy, running on turf, your knees hurt. When you fall and trip, you don’t want to get up. You feel it the next day a lot.”
The positional worth of working backs was a sizzling subject this offseason with the contract conditions of Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Jonathan Taylor. Only Taylor earned a long-term extension (and solely after a messy standoff). While working backs throughout the league gathered on Zoom to debate options, there are few choices till the collective bargaining settlement expires in 2030, when the NFL Players Association may attempt to search adjustments to the franchise tag.
Running backs have complained about how the tag unfairly impacts them — solely punters and kickers make much less on a franchise tag — however the actuality is that they would wish help from their locker room to enact adjustments. An improve in pay for working backs may cut back salaries at different positions. Though our outcomes present that help exists to a point, it’s not overwhelming.
“What? No. What makes them better than me?” provided one player.
Another, who already feels like he has an government future in thoughts, painted a fair bleaker image.
“I know that running backs complain about the market,” he stated. “But from an insider’s perspective, if I was ever a GM, I would never pay a running back. There’s a lot of talented backs that come out in the draft every year — at any place in the draft. I would never draft a running back in the first round.”
While 53.4 % help franchise tag adjustments for working backs like Josh Jacobs, there’s loads of disagreement amongst gamers. (Steve Marcus / Getty Images)
Other gamers had been extra understanding of the working backs’ plight.
“Yeah. Because they’re definitely underpaid,” one stated. “The franchise tag for a lineman is like, what, $15 (million), $16 million? I mean, s—, that’s more than great money. So, yeah, I definitely feel like they should be paid more.”
Others supported a change, however not solely for working backs: “The whole franchise tag rule has to be changed in general. It’s become too powerful of a tool.”
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The NFL has been doing its greatest to develop its attain past the United States. This season, there have been 5 video games performed internationally (three in London and two in Frankfurt, Germany). Games had been additionally performed in Mexico City in earlier seasons.
After years of listening to the rumors, what if there actually had been a workforce situated outdoors the United States? Would gamers be fascinated with the potential of taking part in for one? The majority stated no, however greater than one-third of these we spoke to stated they’d be open to the concept.
“Hell yeah! Because overseas they’re gonna pay that money,” stated one player who could have forgotten a wage cap would nonetheless exist. “Think about a team in Saudi Arabia. I know that’s far as f—, but whatever. Think about Saudi Arabia and the soccer players. They’re giving out billions of dollars, so hell yeah I’ll play in Saudi Arabia.”
One player on the fence stated it will rely upon the place the workforce was situated. “Probably. That’d be cool. Only in England, though. I’m not going to f—ing Germany.”
“Hell no. I’d retire,” one other player stated.
He wasn’t alone. Said one other player: “No. I like dropping my kids off at their really nice school and ordering pizza from the place down the street. If I was 23, maybe (it would be) different. But that’s just not for me.”
(Top illustration: John Bradford / The Athletic;
photographs of Mike Tomlin, Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Donald
by Cooper Neill and Justin Edmonds / Getty Images)
“The Football 100,” the definitive rating of the NFL’s greatest 100 gamers of all time, is on sale now. Order it right here.
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