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An NFL locker room is considered, by players and coaches, to be something of a sacred place. But after games, that sanctity goes out the window as reporters flood into the locker room for postgame interviews.
The NFLPA recently called for a change to that policy, asking the league to move postgame interviews elsewhere. After it released a statement, for NFL wide receiver Torrey Smith said that he felt uncomfortable with locker room interviews because of the behavior of male reporters.
“If only y’all knew how awkward some of the male reporters act. Straight meat watchers,” Smith tweeted.
Jason Kelce, however, says that bulls—.
Jason Kelce Shoots Down Torrey Smith’s Criticism Of NFL Locker Room Interviews
“I’m not gonna lie. It is a little weird that people are in there,” Kelce said on the most recent episode of his New Heights podcast with brother Travis (1:14.00 mark). “But I don’t mind. I never minded.”
That comment seemed to surprise Travis, but Jason went into further detail about Smith’s comment.
“I don’t think this is the problem that it’s being made out to be,” he said. “I really, honestly think guys just don’t want to be interviewed in the locker room. And a lot of guys are crying wolf right now to try and get reporters out of the locker room.
“It’s so easy to just not show your d— to everybody. Put a towel on or go into the bathroom that they aren’t in. Like, they’re not in the showers like ‘hey, how’d you catch that ball?!’ Like, you can definitely not show your d— if you don’t want to, guys.”
Can locker room interviews sometimes be uncomfortable? Sure.
But as Kelce said, for the most part, it’s really not a big deal. And it’s incredibly easy for players to get dressed and then conduct their interview.
Just because some players, including Smith, chose not to, doesn’t mean the system necessarily needs to change.