Texans get high marks in NFL Players Association annual players’ survey with B-plus: ‘Moving program in right direction’

INDIANAPOLIS – The Texans have made significant capital investments in their training facility, including upgraded locker rooms and medical areas, nutrition with individualized meal plans at the team cafeteria and in their strength and conditioning programs.

Those working conditions got high marks from more than 1,700 players across the league polled for the NFL Players Association’s annual players survey.

The Texans ranked seventh overall in the NFL with a B-plus grade, including an A-minus for Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair for his willingness to invest in the facilities. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans also got an A-minus, with 89 percent of players polled saying he is efficient with their time and somewhat listening to the locker room. The Texans ranked fourth overall last year during the inaugural players’ survey.

“Houston Texans players responded positively across all categories, and Houston remains a high-quality organization to work for as a player,” the NFLPA report stated. “Their highest grades come in their food services, head coach and dietician. In fact, the Texans are the only team that had every player feel they received an individualized plan from their dietician. The club has good facilities across the board and their letter grades are overwhelmingly positive. One area that players believe can be improved is adding a steam room and/or sauna – something offered by nearly every other team in the NFL.”

In particular, the Texans get high grades for their food and a nutrition program run by team dietician Ladd Harris.

The capital improvements were installed during the past three years, including some of the projects before the arrival of Ryans and Caserio.

“Ownership is very supportive of what we’re trying to do,” Caserio said Wednesday at the NFL scouting combine. “They’ve made commitments financially. They listen. They’ve made suggestions. I think they have confidence and trust and faith in what we’re trying to do. It’s not perfect. We certainly haven’t arrived but I think we’re moving the program in the right direction. That survey you mentioned is from the player’s perspective.

‘So, it’s what the players see and or feel when they walk in the building. It’s really a credit to those people in the building. And it’s our job to provide as many resources to the players and to be as supportive as possible, that’s what the supporting staff is for, is to support the players and give them every opportunity to perform at an optimal level on Sunday.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.