Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt had a perfectly good explanation as to why his team finished 31st among all NFL teams in the NFLPA's annual report card. He claimed there was a "misunderstanding" between management and the players following a perceived promise to renovate the locker rooms after the 2022 season.
“I have spoken to some of our veteran players about that, and they’ve confirmed to me that it was miscommunication,” Hunt said this week at the annual NFL owners meeting, per The Athletic's Nate Taylor and Kalyn Kahler. “Certainly, I personally never said anything to them about a renovation of the locker room. It was a misunderstanding.”
The Chiefs finished 23rd or worse in nine of the 11 categories of the report card, including 32nd in ownership and training staff and 31st in nutritionist/dietician and training room. The top complaint, per the report, was the condition of the team's locker room after players said management promised renovations after the 2022 season. When the players returned to the team facility following a second consecutive Super Bowl victory, they found only the chairs had been replaced.
The report also cited that the team's training room is "significantly understaffed" and that the staff is unwilling to provide preventative treatment for soreness and day-to-day ailments. All of those issues trickled down to the players' frustrations with Hunt and culminated in the low evaluation of ownership.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who received the highest grade among all 32 head coaches with an A-plus, backed Hunt despite the negative feedback from players.
“I think Clark does a great job,” Reid said at the owners meeting. “Whatever they say about everything else, I give him an A-plus because he gives us an opportunity to win games. As a coach, that’s what you like. He’s not just right over the top of you, beating you up every five minutes. He gets it. We have a great working relationship. He allows us to get players and keep players. That’s a tough thing to do as you navigate through the salary cap.”
While the roster decisions have worked out well for the Chiefs since Reid and Mahomes took over in Kansas City, there appears to be work needed to be done in communication with players on the day-to-day operations of the franchise. That's something Hunt said he will focus on for 2024 and beyond following the results of the NFLPA report card.
“We’ll certainly include the players in our thinking on the future of the training facility,” Hunt said. “We’ll want their input and we’ll seek that when the time is right. ... We’ll have direct communication with them and let them tell us what’s important.”
Chiefs planning Arrowhead Stadium renovations
Hunt added that he plans to make "some pretty significant investments in the training facility this year" following complaints from the players. Arrowhead Stadium is the third-oldest stadium in the NFL and hasn't been renovated since 2010.
“We’ve outgrown that building in a number of ways," he said.
The Chiefs revealed in late February that $800 million in renovations are expected for Arrowhead Stadium in the future. Any renovations would be contingent on the renewal of a sales tax in Jackson County, Missouri, which would help fund a new nearby ballpark for the Kansas City Royals and, by extension, help the Hunts pay for their renovations. The vote is set for April 2. The Hunts will contribute $300 million to the project.
Arrowhead Stadium will also host matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
