In an email to The Associated Press, Jeff Legwold, President of the Professional Football Writers of America, described the Bills’ new rules as “a vast over-reach of the guidelines in the current media policy.” Legwold added that the Bills’ policy is “not only unnecessary, it is not in compliance.”
The PFWA works with the NFL in establishing a league-wide media policy that includes rules on what can be reported during practice, and when teams must make players and coaches available to the media.
The NFL’s media policy states teams can limit the videotaping or photographing of certain portions of closed sessions. As for open practices, the NFL policy states: “Clubs must allow reporting (tweeting, blogging, etc.) of newsworthy events, such as VIP visitors to practice, exceptional catches, standout rookie performers, etc.”