The NFL fought hard to keep this out of the public eye. After filing a grievance claiming the annual NFLPA player survey violated the collective bargaining agreement and winning an arbitration ruling that blocked the union from publishing the results, the league ultimately couldn’t stop the NFLPA report cards with grades from getting out.
ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler obtained the results and disclosed grades for all 32 franchises, spanning everything from locker room facilities to team ownership to head coaching.
The 2026 report cards, based on anonymous player surveys collected leaguewide, put every head coach under the microscope. More than 1,700 players participated in the survey, which was conducted between Nov. 2 and Dec. 11.
In this cycle, the NFLPA report cards introduced specific assistant coach ratings. When the smoke cleared, two names sat alone at the top of the head coaching grades.
See every head coach’s rating in the NFLPA report cards
Sean McVay and Dan Quinn were the only two head coaches in the NFL to earn an A+ from their players this cycle.
McVay’s grade is about as unsurprising as a Matthew Stafford RPO on third-and-short. The Rams finished 12–5, secured the No. 5 seed in a deep NFC field, and advanced to the NFC Championship Game.
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Aug 24, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay gives a thumbs up to fans before the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
At 40 years old, McVay has built one of the league’s most player-friendly cultures alongside an offense that led the NFL in scoring this year. His overall regular-season record as Rams head coach sits at 92–57, and he recently joined Hall of Famers Curly Lambeau and George Halas as the only coaches in history to reach 100 total wins before turning 40.
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The A+ in the leaked 2026 report card makes clear that McVay’s leadership is as elite as his play-calling.
Meanwhile, Quinn’s A+ is a bit more complicated to contextualize. The Commanders finished 5–12, and their defense struggled, ranking 27th in the league by giving up 26.5 points per game. The season fell apart after quarterback Jayden Daniels dislocated his elbow in a Week 9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Despite the losing streak, the NFLPA survey shows the locker room didn’t quit on Quinn. His reputation was likely saved by his 2024 debut, when he led the team to 12 wins and their first NFC Championship appearance in over thirty years.
The full leaderboard below the top two has its own storylines.According to Ari Meirov,that list includes Andy Reid, Mike Macdonald, Ben Johnson, Dan Campbell, Mike Vrabel, Aaron Glenn, Kevin O’Connell, Nick Sirianni, and Mike Tomlin.
NFL HC grades from the NFLPA report cards, via @kalynkahler:
Sean McVay: A+
Dan Quinn: A+
Mike Macdonald: A
Andy Reid: A
Ben Johnson: A
Dan Campbell: A
Mike Vrabel: A
Aaron Glenn: A
Kevin O’Connell: A
Nick Sirianni: A
Mike Tomlin: A
Sean McDermott: A-
Dave Canales: A-
Zac… https://t.co/k6tNsFH38Y
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 26, 2026
It is worth noting that Ben Johnson (Chicago Bears) and Aaron Glenn (New York Jets) received these grades in their first year as head coaches. Earning an A so quickly suggests they gained the locker room’s trust immediately.
Former Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski graded out at C- at the bottom of the board, while Jim Harbaugh landed at C+.
And it is worth mentioning that the league’s attempt to suppress the data backfired completely. Instead of a controlled release from the NFLPA, the grades leaked and spread across social media and landed in every front office’s inbox anyway.