WASHINGTON (AP)—Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis(notes) said it’s almost certain that a female reporter “is going to want somebody” when she goes into an NFL locker room.
Addressing the NFL’s investigation of the New York Jets’ treatment of reporter Ines Sainz, Portis said Tuesday that both sides have wondering eyes when the sexes are mixed in such a setting.
“I think you put women reporters in the locker room in position to see guys walking around naked, and you sit in the locker room with 53 guys, and all of the sudden you see a nice woman in the locker room, I think men are going to tend to turn and look and want to say something to that woman,” Portis said in his weekly appearance on 106.7 The Fan.
The Jets are under scrutiny after a few players apparently made catcalls at Sainz on Saturday while she was waiting to interview quarterback Mark Sanchez(notes). Also, an assistant coach seemed to deliberately throw the ball to players who were near Sainz during a practice drill.
Neither the Redskins or the NFL immediately responded to requests for comment.
Portis said he wasn’t aware of the Sainz situation, but offered his opinion on what he considered to be a female reporter’s perspective.
“You put a woman and you give her a choice of 53 athletes, somebody got to be appealing to her,” Portis said. “You know, somebody got to spark her interest, or she’s going to want somebody. I don’t know what kind of woman won’t, if you get to go and look at 53 men’s (bodies). … I know you’re doing a job, but at the same time, the same way I’m going to cut my eye if I see somebody worth talking to, I’m sure they do the same thing.”
Portis is known for his outspoken viewpoints, having riled teammates and coaches over the years when speaking his mind. He uncharacteristically stayed out of the spotlight through this year’s training camp and preseason, and earlier in his radio appearance he talked about how much he was enjoying his new “low profile.”
