The guy squirting water into Zach Ertz’s mouth is Joe O’Pella. He’s an athletic trainer that’s been with the team for over 15 years at this point.
NFL teams don’t really have water boys, athletic trainers are usually the ones responsible for having water on the practice field and during games, but this post is absolutely hilarious.
A guy who rehabbed my ACL tear in my second year, has a masters degree from Pitt, and has years of experience keeping Eagles players healthy and on the field being called a “Waterboy” is crazy, and I’m already giving him shit for it, but good lord this post is so wildly misleading.
Either way, thought I’d clear the air, that the people with Water Bottles during games actually serve much bigger roles on NFL Teams.
We are grateful to have the best coach in the business! She is actively creating more opportunities for women in sports, and we are lucky to have her as our biggest supporter.💛
Read @NCAA's feature here ➡️ https://t.co/2g8FEMgj6N
Baseball is meant to be watched in person
Football is meant to be watched on your couch
College Basketball is meant to be watched during the day at your cubicle
Happy National Athletic Training Month!
Every March, we celebrate the essential work athletic trainers do to keep people safe, healthy and performing their best.
This year’s theme, Care You Can Count On, highlights the trusted, evidence‑based health care athletic trainers deliver in every setting. From the sidelines to clinics to industrial workplaces, ATs show up with expertise, compassion and unwavering commitment to the communities they serve.
Thank you to every athletic trainer who makes a difference every day. We see you. We appreciate you. We count on you.
#NATM2026 #CareYouCanCountOn #AthleticTraining
NATA is deeply troubled by a recent social media post that publicly demeaned an athletic trainer while she was providing medical care during competition. Athletic trainers are licensed health care professionals, and disrespect or harassment toward anyone delivering care is unacceptable.
Athletic trainers work in high-pressure environments where patient safety, clinical judgment and professional trust must come first. Nearly 60% of NATA’s membership is represented by women, who have fought for decades to earn their place in professional sports medicine. NATA stands firmly behind athletic trainers and all medical professionals who provide care with integrity, expertise, and compassion. We must, and can, do better.