Remember how we commended that Chargers trainer for coming up with the huge assist when San Diego kicker Nick Novak had to relieve himself on the sidelines? It turns out we were right. As long as someone like that guy is there to provide a makeshift curtain for you and make sure no small children walk away from the game asking their parents what that thing was, the NFL says feel free to tinkle away.
“When this occurs, the player has been shielded from public view and there have been no issues with it,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told the NY Daily News. “If a player goes to the locker room, he may not be available when his team is counting on him to be on the field.”
There you have it. The league has no policy about peeing on the bench, and they shouldn’t. Considering Novak insisted he usually does that about “two or three times a game,” there is obviously an unspoken agreement between camera people and teams to keep that kind of thing off of live television. That being said, the league is right to allow it. As long as players continue to utilize the buddy system when they have to go potty, there’s no reason for them to stray too far from the pack should the pack need them. As for number two: well, that could present a problem.
