Bengals' Whitworth: Change media access policy

CINCINNATI, OH (FOX19) - Bengals offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth is asking for media access changes after he and several Bengals were shown partially nude on national TV Sunday.

While conducting an interview with Bengals defensive back Adam Jones after the Bengals win in Buffalo, NFL Network showed several players changing clothes, disrobing and entering the shower in the background of their shot.

"It doesn't bother me personally," said Andrew Whitworth. "But, as a guy who has always been against this policy (allowing reporters into NFL locker rooms), I think it's a great example why the open media room policy is old and needs to change."

Whitworth has been a player representative to the NFL Players Association and said he has spoken up about this issue in the past. He said the usual response is it would limit the amount of access reporters have to players.

"This is my office space, I shouldn't have to change in it," Whitworth added. "Every single day I have to change clothes and be naked, or not, in front of media. It's just not right. There's no office - there's no other situation in America where you have
to do that and it's dated, it's old and it needs to change."

The Pro Bowl offensive lineman suggested interviews be done in designated areas throughout the stadium and not inside the locker room.

"If I was a woman, this would be a complete different subject. It would be a firestorm. So, we can't always just serve women and everyone else, men deserve a right, too. We have rights. We have privacy. We deserve all the things we want as well. As a man, I think it's right that the policy is changed."

NFL Network Communications VP Alex Riethmiller issued the following statement: "It was a regrettable mistake. We've done a review of the our procedures to make sure it won't happen again."

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