Former Giants and Eagles punter Sean Landeta found himself in the middle of an awkward and bizarre radio interview when Philadelphia’s 94 WIP decided to ask him about a highly personal—and unexpected—locker room anecdote. The conversation, which took place with hosts Spike Eskin, Ike Reese, and Jack Fritz, stemmed from comments made earlier by former Eagles wide receiver Freddie Mitchell.
Mitchell, a teammate of Landeta’s during his first two NFL seasons in 2001 and 2002, shared an unusual story on the station. According to Mitchell, Landeta and fullback Jon Ritchie were often seen in the Eagles’ sauna, with Mitchell claiming Landeta was, at times, grooming his “undergarment regions” in front of teammates. This revelation led the radio hosts to call Landeta directly for confirmation.
The result was an interview that quickly turned tense.
The Question That Set Landeta Off
“Freddie Mitchell was on the morning show today, and he mentioned that you and Jon Ritchie were often in the sauna together,” Eskin began. “But Mitchell also mentioned—how do I put this—that you would groom, uh, your under regions in the sauna.”
Landeta’s reaction was swift and indignant.
“You want to call me during prime-time radio in Philadelphia and talk to me about something like that?” Landeta fired back, his frustration evident. “Are you kidding me? I know this is TMZ Radio, and I like Freddie—he was a good teammate and all—but what he said was absolutely false. I totally deny being in the sauna with Jon Ritchie. That never happened.”
Defending Locker Room Privacy
Landeta, now 63, didn’t just deny the claim—he expressed his disappointment in Mitchell for airing what he described as locker room business.
“Now, may there have been a time where I was by myself and maybe had to shave a little bit? Okay, maybe that’s something that goes on privately in a locker room,” Landeta acknowledged. “But there’s a saying in the NFL: ‘What you see here or what you say here stays here and never leaves here.’ Obviously, Mr. Freddie must’ve wanted to get some people to go ‘Oh, wow.’ I’m disappointed in Mr. Mitchell. I’m going to have to speak to him about that.”
Calling Out the Radio Hosts
The situation escalated when Landeta turned his ire toward the radio hosts, accusing them of trying to provoke a reaction for ratings.
“One guy embarrassing another guy,” Landeta said sharply. “I understand what I’m dealing with here. I would think with the Eagles having a playoff game coming up, you wouldn’t be talking about guys in saunas.”
While one host attempted to downplay the situation, claiming they were “just having some fun,” Landeta wasn’t buying it. He made it clear that he viewed the question as a deliberate attempt to stir controversy.
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The Fallout
The segment has since gone viral, with fans weighing in on the appropriateness of the question. Landeta’s pointed remarks about locker room privacy have sparked a debate about the boundaries of what should—and shouldn’t—be shared from a professional sports setting.
As for Mitchell, he remains best known for his heroic “fourth-and-26” catch in the 2003 playoffs, which helped secure a victory for the Eagles over the Packers. However, his locker room tales may have earned him a new level of infamy among former teammates.
Sean Landeta, who played an impressive 22 seasons in the NFL, including nine with the Giants where he won two Super Bowls, retired in 2005 at age 43.
While he might have been hoping for quieter retirement years, this latest episode has ensured his name remains in the spotlight—if not for the reasons he would have preferred.
