The Cincinnati Bengals have been owned by Mike Brown since 1991, but the 90-year-old is reportedly not popular among NFL players. ESPN published the NFLPA's report card on all 32 NFL franchises on Thursday, and the Bengals got a D+ for team ownership.

ESPN's Kaly Kahler described the process of the survey.

"Per the survey results obtained by ESPN, this year's report cards are based on responses from 1,759 players," she wrote. "All players who were on a 2025 roster at the time of the survey were eligible to participate, and it was conducted from Nov. 2 to Dec. 11."

Cincinnati received an A for its strength coaches and A- grades for the locker room, weight room, training room, training staff, offensive coordinator, and head coach. It also got B+ marks for the defensive and special teams coordinators and a B- for position coaches. Furthermore, it received a C for the general manager, a C- for team travel, and an F for the nutritionist/dietician. Finally, it received F- grades for the treatment of families and the food/dining area. Overall, the survey ranked it the 28th-best organization.

Not only is Brown's D+ grade a bad look, but categories like family treatment and nutritionist getting failing grades are also his fault. It's the owner's responsibility to make sure the organization is running smoothly, as he has the highest position and oversees the operation.

Brown inherited the team from his late father Paul in 1991, who was the Bengals' co-founder. The team didn't make the playoffs until 2005 after that transition and didn't win a playoff game until it made the Super Bowl in the 2021 campaign. 

Although the Bengals made the AFC Championship the following year, they haven't returned to the playoffs since despite having superstars like quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase. The fact that they've only had two exceptional seasons since 1991 shows that Brown is the primary issue, as he's been the main constant in the organization since then.

Although Cincinnati has a poor history under Brown, the franchise will always have a chance to turn things around with Burrow on the roster. The two-time NFL Comeback Player of the Year is signed through 2029 and is one of the best signal-callers in football, as he has 157 passing touchdowns against just 51 interceptions in his career.

Additionally, the Bengals own the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, so they'll have a chance to add a blue-chip talent as they try to get back to the playoffs.