The new NFL Players Association executive director, Lloyd Howell, has made a decisive move, tackling media access. It took three years to mold it to perfection. The writers were reluctant, but the players were far more eager. And here we are, the association has announced its new version of media access policy – gonna completely turn around the dynamics.  

The NFL Players Association in its official statement said, “Over the past three years, the NFLPA has tried to work with the NFL and Pro Football Writers of America to move media interviews out of locker rooms…. This isn’t about limiting media access but about respecting players’ privacy and dignity.” The body labeled the prevailing policy as outdated and warned the NFL to make immediate changes for a more respectful and safer workplace.

Necessity is the mother of invention. It was the coronavirus pandemic that necessitated this change initially. In August 2021, the Media Access Policy barred the general post-game open locker room period. The NFL required media members to be vaccinated to conduct player interviews in person. But with the pandemic drawn back, interviews entered the sacred space again. The NFLPA player representative, Ted Karras, addressed the issue after photographers inadvertently captured multiple players in various states of undress this year. A bummer! The association finally called their shots. 

NFLPA said that Pro Football writers were reluctant to leave the locker room alone. However, the Pro Football Writers of America stated in their official statement, “The NFL players asking to speak outside the locker room has always been a part of the league’s media access policy.” They asserted that discussions with NFLPA executives are on to ensure that everybody is comfortable. Writers might be worrisome about their exclusives, players are simply full of gratitude. 

“I was mortified when I realized…” says a WAG

This policy change could become a point of contention between the 2 bodies, but for players, coaches, and their families, it’s a huge relief. As an outcome of the big change, many players spilled their beans on Instagram. Some felt that decision should have been taken way back. The veteran Cincinnati Bengals QB Akili Smith said, “They literally wanna interview you A— naked… rule should have been changed years ago.”  Obviously, no player wants to be interviewed in their towels.

The Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph echoed Smith’s sentiments, “Finna starts a petition so we don’t have to cover our legs (tights or compression on legs can cause muscle cramps and can lead to injury) 😌☝🏾”  Joseph is right everyone meeds their privacy and freedom. The Atlanta Falcons LB Demone Harris took a dig at the media persons, “Nah for females in our locker room, while we’re getting changed, but that would NEVER happen in the WNBA.”  Equality should prevail across all the sports and locker rooms irrespective of the gender.

The players’ wives and girlfriends also felt relieved. The Carolina Panther‘s former WR Jerricho Cotchery‘s wife Mercedes was quick to react, “As a wife, I was mortified when I realized that female reporters went into the locker room.” The WAGs also want their men to be ‘safe’.

The happiest lot are the women NFL reporters. It was more of an embarrassment for them to interview guys in their towels. Some felt this initiative would provide a fair play for female journalists. This will avoid all the awkward situations that female reporters have to go through during their work, other than the obvious bias that they go through on a day-to-day basis.

The NFL community seems to be positive and thankful for this major change. As fans, will you miss the locker room reporting, or is it a better way forward?