INDIANAPOLIS — Colts players believe the organization needs to make heavier investments into the training staff, weight room and the team’s strength and conditioning program, according to an NFL Player’s Association survey.
The NFL Player’s Association released the results of its annual league-wide survey of all 32 NFL teams on Wednesday, an expanded edition that grades the teams on 11 separate categories, an increase from the eight categories the survey contained in 2023.
Indianapolis ranked 22nd in the NFL overall, according to the survey, a drop of six spots from the team’s 16th-place finish in the 2023 rankings. Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen received the highest grade of any category, handed an A- by the players after his first season.
But the issues players outlined in the 2024 survey appear to be more closely related to player performance than 2023, when poor grades in food and team travel pulled down the overall grade.
“The players responded that the training room is understaffed, making it difficult to get the best possible treatment to play and recover,” the NFLPA survey’s summary read. “The survey also highlighted issues with the weight room, which respondents believe lacks the necessary equipment, and also with the strength coaches, pointing out that they are not getting the best possible individualized plans to maximize their performance.”
Colts general manager Chris Ballard pushed back on the report in his Combine availability.
“I pay attention to it,” Ballard said. “We do a lot with our players internally anyways and ask their feedback. What I would tell you is there’s some things I would probably debate with them, but I mean we pay attention to it. Do I take it 100 percent to credence? No, but there will be questions asked and we’ll get feedback.”
A significant change has already been made to the team’s strength and conditioning staff.
Legendary director of sports performance Rusty Jones retired at the age of 70 two weeks ago; the Colts have replaced Jones with long-time Eagles staffer Mike Minnis.
“The players’ biggest complaint is that they do not feel like they are getting up-to-date, personalized training programs,” the survey read.
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Colts players would also like to have a sauna.
The Indianapolis training staff received an A+ grade on the survey in 2023, but that grade dropped to a B- over the course of the year.
The Colts continue to get low grades in food (a C grade, 22nd in the NFL) and team travel (D, 26th). Treatment of player’s families also fell off considerably, falling to a D grade after being graded at a B- a year ago. Ownership was given a C, a mark that ranked 26th in the league and was heavily tied to the other player issues.
Owner Jim Irsay was rated 7.4 out of 10 on his willingness to invest in facilities, one season after 97 percent of players reported that they believed Irsay was willing to spend the necessary money to invest in facilities.
“I’ll tell you this, I don’t know many players that have been with us that don’t want to be back,” Ballard said. “That’s just been my take on it for the most part. There’s always things you can get better at, there is. There’s always things you can get better at.”
