The NFL could be moving towards banning members of the media from team locker rooms amid concerns for players’ privacy.
The NFLPA urged the league to move interviews outside the locker room earlier this month, calling for a curb on reporters mingling with players in the locker room.
The NFLPA said that locker room interviews were an invasion of players’ privacy and urged members of the media to seek interviews outside the locker room during the week – something which some stars have already begun to exercise their right to do so.
However, it appears that there is one player in particular whose privacy they are trying to protect.
Travis Kelce has experienced a new height of fame over the past year with the Kansas City Chiefs star’s popularity enjoying a massive uptick amid his high-profile relationship with Taylor Swift.
But his increasing popularity has come with a price. The tight end has faced a new wave of attention and scrutiny with Kelce and Swift’s romance dominating the headlines.
And, although Kelce already had a considerable celebrity status as one of the league’s biggest stars, the potential locker room interview ban is said to be a new rule to protect him, according to Radar.
‘While reporters will still have access to players for interviews, the locker room will no longer be part of the equation,’ a source allegedly told the outlet. ‘Instead, interviews will now be conducted in separate, designated areas, with each team determining the location.’
Radar’s report went on to claim that while the league insists it is for the safeguarding of all its players, ‘everyone knows it is to protect Taylor Swift’s boyfriend.’
However, another source refuted the claim to DailyMail.com. They insisted the proposed ban did not stem from the NFL star’s relationship with the ‘Fortnight’ songstress.
‘This has nothing to do with Taylor Swift at all,’ the insider said. ‘If they [the NFL] really want to “protect” players’ personal lives, they would clear media from backstage where they line camera crews up backstage to capture Taylor when she arrives.’
Kelce did, however, give a locker room interview at the weekend after his Chiefs team beat the 49ers.
Swift and Kelce have been dating for just over a year with their love story taking the NFL world by storm as the pop superstar regularly makes blockbuster appearances at his Chiefs games, including last season’s Super Bowl.
Reporters regularly mingle with players in the locker room on game day and on practice days, putting members of the media in close quarters with athletes courtesy of media policies that the players association called ‘outdated’.
Earlier this month, Cincinnati Bengals center Ted Karras revealed players being caught naked on camera is one of the reasons why the NFL wants to close locker rooms to the media.
Speaking earlier this week, Bengals star Karras explained that a couple of players were caught naked while interviews were being recorded.
‘As you’ve heard from a couple of teams now and the NFLPA is going to come out with a statement, in an effort to protect the sanctity of the locker room and the comfort of the players, each team is going to figure out a program to where we conduct our interviews outside of the locker room,’ Karras, the team’s union representative 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.
‘What brought it to light, really, was a couple of guys naked on camera this year. It has happened a few times in the history of the league.’
However, Kelce revealed on his podcast, New Heights, following the NFLPA’s statement that he had never had an issue with the locker room interviews.
He discussed the issue with his brother, retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, who made a hilarious revelation.
‘This is something that guys have talked about for a long time,’ Jason began. ‘But for those of you that don’t know, after games or practices there is a period of time where media members can go in and talk to players, interview them, ask what happened in the game, what’s going on this week.’
At that point, Travis chimed in to say ‘and meat watch!’ drawing chuckles out of both the brothers.
‘I don’t think that’s why they’re in there, but that’s what’s being alleged,’ Jason said.
He continued: ‘I’m not going to lie… it is a little weird that people are in there, but I never minded it.
‘Listen, my d**k is low on the totem pole, I’m not impressing anybody, or doing anything. If you want to look at it, go for it, be my guest.
‘It’s not going to impress you. It’s efficient, it gets the job done, especially making girls (a reference to his three daughters). But I’ve never cared, I’ve never thought about it and I’ve never noticed anybody staring at it.’
Travis then offered his true thoughts on the situation, explaining: ‘I’ve never had a problem with it.
‘I think it’s actually encouraged by the NFL to be clothed. I don’t think they encourage you to be naked.’
