Stephen Dubner

The NFL is the richest and most successful sports league in history. Each team is worth at least $4 billion.

The NFL is the richest and most successful sports league in history. Each team is worth at least $4 billion.

And what does the data have to say? Among U.S. employees in general, job satisfaction is higher than it's been in decades. How satisfied are NFL players? Now, you may be saying to yourself, who cares about the workplace environment of NFL players? They make so much money, the environment shouldn't matter.

And what does the data have to say? Among U.S. employees in general, job satisfaction is higher than it's been in decades. How satisfied are NFL players? Now, you may be saying to yourself, who cares about the workplace environment of NFL players? They make so much money, the environment shouldn't matter.

And what does the data have to say? Among U.S. employees in general, job satisfaction is higher than it's been in decades. How satisfied are NFL players? Now, you may be saying to yourself, who cares about the workplace environment of NFL players? They make so much money, the environment shouldn't matter.

Or you may say, pro football is so different from what I do for a living, there's no way I'm going to learn anything worthwhile from this. Well, if we have done our job in making this episode, you will. At the very least, with another NFL season in the books, you will learn which teams got the best grades and the worst. Never really heard of an F-minus before.

Or you may say, pro football is so different from what I do for a living, there's no way I'm going to learn anything worthwhile from this. Well, if we have done our job in making this episode, you will. At the very least, with another NFL season in the books, you will learn which teams got the best grades and the worst. Never really heard of an F-minus before.

Or you may say, pro football is so different from what I do for a living, there's no way I'm going to learn anything worthwhile from this. Well, if we have done our job in making this episode, you will. At the very least, with another NFL season in the books, you will learn which teams got the best grades and the worst. Never really heard of an F-minus before.

This is Freakonomics Radio, the podcast that explores the hidden side of everything with your host, Stephen Dubner.

This is Freakonomics Radio, the podcast that explores the hidden side of everything with your host, Stephen Dubner.

This is Freakonomics Radio, the podcast that explores the hidden side of everything with your host, Stephen Dubner.

Imagine that you have just graduated from college with a degree in, say, mechanical engineering, and you know exactly what kind of company you want to work for. And let's say there are 32 such companies within a hundred mile radius of where you want to live. So which company will you end up at? To a large degree, that is up to you.

Imagine that you have just graduated from college with a degree in, say, mechanical engineering, and you know exactly what kind of company you want to work for. And let's say there are 32 such companies within a hundred mile radius of where you want to live. So which company will you end up at? To a large degree, that is up to you.

Imagine that you have just graduated from college with a degree in, say, mechanical engineering, and you know exactly what kind of company you want to work for. And let's say there are 32 such companies within a hundred mile radius of where you want to live. So which company will you end up at? To a large degree, that is up to you.

You can apply wherever you'd like, and if that company thinks you are qualified and they make you an offer, you can decide whether to accept or reject the job. This is not how it works in professional sports. Imagine now that instead of studying mechanical engineering, you went to college to play football.

You can apply wherever you'd like, and if that company thinks you are qualified and they make you an offer, you can decide whether to accept or reject the job. This is not how it works in professional sports. Imagine now that instead of studying mechanical engineering, you went to college to play football.

You can apply wherever you'd like, and if that company thinks you are qualified and they make you an offer, you can decide whether to accept or reject the job. This is not how it works in professional sports. Imagine now that instead of studying mechanical engineering, you went to college to play football.

If you are good enough to play in the National Football League or if you're an athlete good enough to play in any of the other major American sports leagues, you don't get to choose which team you play for. It's the teams that choose the players in an annual draft. Teams with the worst records the previous season typically get to pick earlier in the draft and the best teams pick later.

If you are good enough to play in the National Football League or if you're an athlete good enough to play in any of the other major American sports leagues, you don't get to choose which team you play for. It's the teams that choose the players in an annual draft. Teams with the worst records the previous season typically get to pick earlier in the draft and the best teams pick later.

If you are good enough to play in the National Football League or if you're an athlete good enough to play in any of the other major American sports leagues, you don't get to choose which team you play for. It's the teams that choose the players in an annual draft. Teams with the worst records the previous season typically get to pick earlier in the draft and the best teams pick later.