Blank, Falcons Score Aces on Report Card

Though not much has changed on the field record-wise for the Falcons coming off an 8-9 season following three straight 7-10 campaigns, off the field, the franchise made a quantum leap in receiving vastly improved marks in the latest NFL Players Association report card, the results of which were released late last month.

For the third consecutive year, the NFLPA has conducted in-season surveys across every single organization to solicit feedback from hundreds of players – even those on the practice squad – about their respective teams’ facilities, travel logistics, coaching staff, and leadership groups, among other factors. After finishing 25th out of 32 teams when the results came out following the 2023 season, the Falcons came in third overall while ranking in the top five in six of the 11 categories. In no category did Atlanta score below a “B” grade. Finishing ahead of Atlanta were the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings, both of which are led by Jewish principal owners, Stephen Ross and Zygi and Mark Wilf, respectively.

It is no coincidence that the results are unveiled in late February, just a couple weeks before the free agency window officially opens. Players looking for a new home put a lot of stock into these surveys – filled out by respondents anonymously and conducted by a third-party company – and it certainly bodes well for Atlanta’s front office that players acknowledged the significant facility upgrades, including a drastically revamped and expanded weight room, locker room, and dining area, during the 2024 season.

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“It’s great to be recognized that first of all, we’ve got an A+ owner,” shared Falcons president Greg Beadles, who’s heralded league wide for having strong expertise in team and facility operations and finance, when speaking to the AJT last week. “I think the folks here in Atlanta know that and recognize that. So certainly, for our players to see that and see his [Arthur Blank’s] commitment to winning and providing them with everything they need to be successful is where it all starts. It’s been really a dramatic improvement.”

It’s more than just a poster on the wall. It really is things that we try to live by and things that we use to make our decisions.

The enhancements to player-focused areas – namely those at the team’s Flowery Branch training facility – have been in the works for the past five years and over this past season really came to fruition. As NFL teams’ rosters and accompanying coaching and support staffs have mushroomed in size this century, primarily because of the league’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA), renovations, updates, and expansions have been in order and were executed across the aforementioned three primary areas: the strength and conditioning room, locker room, and cafeteria.

Previously, the strength and conditioning room was approximately 6,000 square feet in size, which was deemed small by current NFL standards. Now, in its stead is a new 14,000-square-foot room that features high-tech lifting equipment, a designated area for doing shuttle runs, and garage doors that open up to the practice field. Moving the strength and conditioning room subsequently freed up space for an expanded locker room that can now accommodate every single player during training camp when rosters expand so that first-year players will no longer be assigned to an auxiliary locker room.

In addition to this dynamic conducive to fostering strong team chemistry, the locker room now has enhanced ventilation – another feature that comes in handy during summertime training sessions. Meanwhile, a revamped cafeteria offers more spacious areas resplendent with Falcons memorabilia for players and coaching staff to enjoy what are apparently higher quality meals. Ultimately, the weight room and locker room received an “A+” while the food and dining area was awarded an “A.”

However, the purpose of these report cards is not just to gauge respondents’ appreciation for their employers knocking down walls to build glitzy and larger facilities. There are intangibles pertaining to an organization’s culture – treatment of families has been a major concern among many NFL players – that are of the utmost importance. To that end, the Falcons fared quite well, receiving an “A” in treatment of families and a “B+” in team travel. Ownership, a group headlined by Arthur Blank, owner and chairman of the Blank Family of Businesses, did indeed receive an “A+” rating for its “perceived willingness to invest in the facilities” and because it “significantly contributes to a positive team culture.”

It’s been really a dramatic improvement.

“In all of Arthur’s businesses, back to Home Depot and all the way through now, culture and our core values are right at the top,” added Beadles. “It’s more than just a poster on the wall. It really is things that we try to live by and things that we use to make our decisions.”

One such monumental decision was the hiring of Raheem Morris, who in his first year as full-time Falcons head coach guided the team to their best record since 2017. Morris earned an “A+” for being highly receptive to players’ feedback and ever mindful of time efficiency. In terms of the team’s support staff, notable members including strength coaches, trainers, and the nutritionist all received marks in the “A” range.

The coming days, as the free agency signing period commences, may provide a glimpse into just how much clout these sparkling results have on free agents’ decisions.

“I think big picture, it gives them a good feel for the culture and support in the building that players can expect,” stated Beadles. “To most guys, that’s important.”