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Collinsworth Defends PFF After Ex-Players Slam TV Grades, Invites J.J. Watt In

Critics argue the TV graphics mislead viewers by stripping away assignment and scheme context.

Oct 1, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Former Houston Texans JJ Watt listens during his Ring Of Honor Ceremony at halftime during the game between the Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
Aug 3, 2023; Canton, Ohio, USA; NBC Sports broadcaster Cris Collinsworth watches from the sidelines during the game between the Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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Overview

  • Sunday Night Football displayed PFF rankings during the Chiefs–Lions broadcast, triggering public pushback from Chris Long and J.J. Watt.
  • Long demanded that on-screen PFF grades be removed, pointing to graphics that showed Patrick Mahomes at No. 13 and Derrick Nnadi ranked last at his position.
  • On The Pat McAfee Show, Watt said the grading system “sucks” and called some rankings “completely made up,” arguing graders cannot know player assignments from TV copies.
  • Cris Collinsworth, who holds a stake in PFF, defended the methodology as rigorous and widely used by teams and invited Watt to review the grading process.
  • Reports also flagged other disputed marks this season, including Myles Garrett graded above T.J. Watt and Aaron Rodgers receiving a 34.8.