I think this would be the feeling of most NFL teams and players. Common sense tells you there are many gay athletes in all of professional sports, but what they do behind closed doors doesn’t matter, as long as they produce on the field.
CBS Sports Mike Freeman, spoke with players about having a gay teammate and their comments may surprise some, but doesn’t surprise me.
A NFL team — with its machismo and tough guys — had reached a certain understanding with one of its players. The player was gay, many on the team knew it, and no one cared.
The player was not openly gay but several of the player’s friends on the team knew it. A good dozen players on the team were aware the player dated men, several players on the team told CBSSports.com.
“It was the worst kept secret on the team,” said one player. “Many of us knew and we didn’t care at all.”
“We saw him as a player,” said the teammate, “not as a gay player.”
According to players, members of the coaching staff knew the player was gay and the wives of the players as well.
CBS Sports declined to name the player, because he doesn’t want to be publicly outed, but you can put two and two together and figure out who it is.
Someone shouldn’t be forced to come out of the closet, because once you start making denials, people will start poking in your closet.