NFL Media Might Not Be Allowed To Conduct Interviews In Locker Room Soon
10/04/2024 12:28 PM
For decades NFL media has been able to interview players in their locker rooms, picking up some of the most iconic off-the-field moments in league history in the process. But a new policy could stop reporters and media members from getting to talk to them there in the way that they've been accustomed to.
Speaking to reporters this week, Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Ted Karras - who also serves as the player representative in the NFLPA - said that a statement from the players union is forthcoming that will direct cameras away from seeing players in "private moments" inside of the locker room. Karras made it clear that while the NFLPA won't outright ban reporters from the locker rooms, they want to see interviews shifted outside.
"In an effort to protect the sanctity of the locker room and the comfort of the players, each team is gonna figure out a program to where we conduct our interviews outside of the locker room," Karras said. "Now this doesn't bar you from the locker room. We can't do that. But what we want to do is get cameras off guys in private moments in our locker room…We want to make this as smooth as possible. This is not an indictment against you. This is what our membership feels is best for the players."
Bengals player rep Ted Karras explains the new media policy to "protect the sanctity" of the locker rooms across the NFL pic.twitter.com/Hq18xIcPaJ
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) October 3, 2024
Karras explained that the change is something that the NFLPA has been mulling since the COVID-19 pandemic. He pointed out that there were some instances where cameras caught players completely naked and it's something that he would like to avoid in the future.
"This has been a topic of conversation since COVID," he said. "With the COVID protocol, when no one was in the locker room. It's been brought up several times since then. Now we figure it's the time to do it. But we're still gonna have everyone – we'll still be available. Really we just want to protect – I think what brought it to light was a couple guys naked on camera this year. I know that's happened a few times throughout the history of the league. But this will not affect gameday, I don't think. We're gonna come up with a good solution to make the week as smooth as possible, get everyone the time they need and again, protect the sanctity of the locker room."
It sounds like the NFLPA is simply aiming to reduce the number of interviews that are held in locker rooms, as opposed to totally removing them. But it's still an issue to monitor in the weeks to come.
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