The Super Bowl concluded the 2025 season, but the Miami Dolphins still got dealt a blow by one of their most bitter rivals. Woody Johnson just handed Stephen Ross and some other owners a significant loss.
Johnson hasn't run a stellar NFL operation since taking over the team, but he still has significant influence in the league and, apparently, with the NFLPA. According to reports, the Jets' owner was at the forefront of a legal battle with the players' association, and the league won.
At the heart of the matter is the NFLPA's annual team grades. A group of categories voted on by the players themselves to identify how good, or how bad, the teams they play for actually are.
The NFL announced that the NFLPA can no longer publicly release annual team grades, in which the Miami Dolphins excelled in
The Dolphins under Ross have been among the top teams according to annual reports. It's not a surprise, given the fact that Ross has gone out of his way to do more for the players and their families than most other teams in the league. In 2024, the Dolphins received an A+, one of only three teams to earn that high a mark.
Not surprisingly, the Jets were at the bottom with an "F," the only team to get that honor. Johnson has called the grading completely "bogus."
It's a small victory for teams like the D- Cardinals and Panthers, as well as the D-graded Steelers and Patriots. The Patriots were always a bit of a surprise to be that low.
Last year's report listed Mike McDaniel with a 98% rating from his players. We will never know what Jeff Hafley receives this year, or if McDaniel's numbers dropped last season. The NFLPA will likely continue the grading, but the NFL will be the only one to see it.
This is a big win for the NFL from their perspective. They get to keep quiet about just how bad their owners are. Without the grading, however, it is unlikely to change anything. Players may view grades as an indication of where they might want to play in the future, but no player will choose better food and facilities over the amount of money they will make.
In New York, that hasn't always been a lot, so take your victory lap, Mr. Johnson, but it probably won't change anything for your organization.