CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – For all of the money that has been poured into a makeover of the Browns training and administrative complex in Berea, their players don’t seem that impressed.
The NFLPA released it’s first report card for each of the 32 teams covering eight specific categories – treatment of families, food service/nutrition, weight room, strength coaches, training room, training staff, locker room and team travel.
Here’s how the Browns graded out according to their players with the team’s rank among the 32 teams in parentheses:
Treatment of families: C (21st)
Food service/nutrition: D+ (T-18th)
Weight room: D+ (T-29th)
Strength coaches: A+ (T-1st)
Training room: B+ (T-5th)
Training staff: A T-9th)
Locker room: D+ (T-22nd)
Team travel: C (T-21st)
“The Cleveland Browns were ranked 21st in the team guide,” the summary of the Browns report card from the NFLPA read. “The player respondents expressed two major complaints – the first of which is the weight room. It currently takes up about 15 – 20 yards of their indoor practice facility, which the players stated was already small.
“The second issue pertained to the locker room, which the players believe is one of the smallest in the league, resulting in many players feeling like they do not have enough personal space.
“On a positive note, the team’s training staff and strength coaches are very well liked, and players feel like they add to their overall success. Also, 100% of the locker room believes that owner Jimmy Haslam is willing to invest money into improving the facility.”
Since taking over ownership of the Browns in October 2012, the Haslam Sports Group has embarked on a multitude of renovation and expansion projects to the facility located at 76 Lou Groza Blvd. resulting in 80 percent of the interior of the building – including player locker room, training and treatment facilities – being gutted, expanded and rebuilt, but it appears the recent upgrades haven’t been sufficient.
The most recent upgrades came last year when the team installed a new heating and drainage system under the practice fields as well as a recovery/training room where the weight room used to be located prior to the pandemic.
