Retired NFL star JJ Watt rips PFF's popular grading style: 'The system is terrible'

The grades from sports analytics company Pro Football Focus have become a popular way to evaluate the performances of NFL and college football players' performances over the past decade.

According to the company's website, the grading system evaluates every player on each play of a given football game. Players are then graded on a scale of -2 to +2. Analysts then undergo training to learn how to grade plays. Therefore, PFF's grades do include elements of subjectivity.

The assigned grades have also faced scrutiny at times, with some even questioning how seriously teams and fans should weigh the results. Retired NFL pass rusher J.J. Watt was recently vocal about his disdain for the grading system.

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J.J. Watt #99 of the Arizona Cardinals looks on during player introduction prior to the start of the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levis Stadium on January 08, 2023 in Santa Clara, California.  (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

NBC commentator Cris Collinsworth is a PFF co-founder and often cites the company's grades during "Sunday Night Football" broadcasts. PFF's numbers have increasingly become viewed as the top source for player evaluation.

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On Tuesday, Watt pushed back against PFF's grade for Texans rookie star quarterback CJ Stroud following his performance in Houston's win in the wild-card round over the Cleveland Browns.

Stroud finished the game with 284 passing yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions and became the youngest quarterback in modern NFL history to win a postseason game. Despite Stroud's strong performance, he received a 77.8 grade, which was significantly lower than other quarterbacks who play in the wild-card round.

Former Houston Texans player J.J. Watt speaks during a ceremony inducting him into the Texans Ring of Honor during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at NRG Stadium on October 01, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Logan Riely/Getty Images)

The numbers prompted Watt to take aim at the overall grading system. 

"This is what happens when you try to grade football players with an algorithm…," Watt wrote on X, the company formerly known as Twitter.

"CJ Stroud's performance was "graded" a 77.8" 

"And people treat this s--t as gospel."

NFL icon and minority owner of Burnley, J.J. Watt, looks on from the stands during the Sky Bet Championship trophy after the Sky Bet Championship between Burnley and Cardiff City at Turf Moor on May 08, 2023 in Burnley, England. (Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images)

Watt then made his routine appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Wednesday and elaborated on his take on PFF. The legendary Texans defensive lineman said the company's grading system was "terrible."

"The system is terrible," Watt said. 

"Do they watch a lot of film? Sure, great. Do they know everybody’s assignments? Do they know exactly what’s supposed to happen? Do they know how they’re waiting and how they’re supposed to do different things? No. It’s just a terrible system, and the fact that they have the ability to affect not only what the public thinks about players, but literally are affecting voting for awards, how players contracts are being handled … it’s really pretty scary and crazy that they’ve gotten that level of power."

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Watt also took issue with what he described as PFF's "high and mighty" disposition.

"They come from a high and mighty place. And they speak like they know everything there is to know about football … as somebody who’s done it … I’ve literally sat in a meeting with coaches and put the grades side-by-side, from a coach’s grade and from the PFF grade. I’ve done it. And it’s not even remotely close," Watt said.

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