The New York Jets' union representative said Tuesday that players on the team have no issue with the presence of security cameras in the locker room.
"Talking to the guys on the team, nobody cares that there are cameras in there," guard Greg Van Roten said on a conference call with reporters. "We know why they're there. They're there to protect us if something happens, if something goes missing.
"It's not like they're spying on us, you know what I mean?"
The NFL Players Association is looking into whether the hidden cameras violate the collective bargaining agreement, a source close to the NFLPA told ESPN. That is the crux of the issue, according to Van Roten. The New York Daily News reported over the weekend that players were upset because they considered it an invasion of privacy. Van Roten refuted that.
"We all know there are cameras in there. It's no secret," he said. "The team is up front about that. It's an ongoing conversation between the NFLPA and the NFL Management Council regarding that. There are different perspectives on if that's OK, if it's not OK. The players' issue with it is not privacy-related. I'll say that."
Van Roten said the players' concern stems from new COVID-19 protocols and whether the league can use security footage to punish them if they're caught not wearing their masks in the locker room. He said he doesn't believe there's a lack of trust between the players and the organization.
The NFLPA already has shared its concerns with the league, and the league responded by saying the Jets -- and all teams -- have the right to use cameras, sources said. The Jets haven't commented.
There seems to be a difference of opinion on whether a formal complaint was filed. Van Roten said he's not sure whether that occurred; the source close to the NFLPA said "players complained" and submitted "proof." The source declined to give specifics.
"I don't know if a player on our team complained or how it got to where it got," Van Roten said. "I just know no one was surprised about that. I don't think it's unique to the Jets that there are cameras adjacent to -- and sometimes in the locker room. The CBA is a very powerful tool. There are a lot of rights the teams have and the jurisdiction gets kind of cloudy as to who has the say here."
The locker room in question is located in the team's year-round facility in Florham Park, New Jersey, which opened in 2008.
ESPN contacted four former players who played at various points over the past 12 years in the facility. Two said they had no idea that cameras were present in the locker room. Two said they were aware of the cameras only because security investigated incidents that involved missing valuables. One said the team never made an announcement about the cameras, and that most players didn't know about them.