# 4 NFL players may come out of the closet on the same day **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 5, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940 "2013-04-05T18:37:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/1 "2013-04-05T18:37:05Z")
[“I think it will happen sooner than you think,” Ayanbadejo told the newspaper. "We’re in talks with a handful of players who are considering it. There are up to four players being talked to right now, and they’re trying to be organized so they can come out on the same day together. It would make a major splash and take the pressure off one guy. It would be a monumental day if a handful or a few guys come out.](http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9137573/brendon-ayanbadejo-says-four-players-considering-coming-gay) I think that’s a great idea. The first player to come out in a major U.S. sport will get so much media attention. If four players come out at the same time, they can share some of the backlash, and it won’t be nearly as much of a distraction for the individual teams. I am kinda wondering who the 4 are, though. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/2 "2013-04-05T18:56:56Z")
I do not envy them their position and I look forward to a society where no one comes out of the closet because there will be no closet to come out of in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/3 "2013-04-06T03:23:54Z")
Here is my bet for who the four are: Tom Brady Peyton Manning Aaron Rodgers James Harrison It’d be pretty cool if it happened (any 4). The fact that it’s the NFL and Americas favorite sport makes it all the more interesting. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/4 "2013-04-06T07:08:44Z")
If all 4 are from the same team that’s going to be pretty damn hilarious (and kind of hot). ---
**Author:** ![Shooby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f475e1/32.png) [@Shooby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shooby)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/5 "2013-04-06T16:53:17Z")
I’m hoping that at least one of them is a superstar, top-of-the-game player. “You throw like a faggot” will cease being a meaningful insult if that means being compared to someone like Peyton Manning! ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/6 "2013-04-06T18:01:39Z")
> [@drm](#): > > Here is my bet for who the four are: > > Tom Brady > Peyton Manning > Aaron Rodgers > James Harrison > > It’d be pretty cool if it happened (any 4). The fact that it’s the NFL and Americas favorite sport makes it all the more interesting. I doubt if any will be a superstar. Although someone who’s already got their bank account up will have less to lose… ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/7 "2013-04-06T18:05:58Z")
I’d really like for Tim Tebow to be one of them. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/8 "2013-04-06T18:27:03Z")
If any play tight end that will be hilarious. 😃 This is 2013 correct? Anyone really care if a ball player is gay? If he is a great athlete thats all that matters. What he does off the field is his business. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/9 "2013-04-06T19:14:33Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > If any play tight end that will be hilarious. 😃 Who later played WR? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/10 "2013-04-06T19:32:36Z")
> [@drm](#): > > Here is my bet for who the four are: > > Tom Brady Didn’t Tom Brady leave one supermodel girlfriend when she was pregnant with her son to go marry another supermodel? I guess nothing is impossible, but he’s really going the extra mile if he’s faking his heterosexuality. (or maybe I’m being wooshed). ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/11 "2013-04-06T19:36:44Z")
Aaron Rodgers is single and lives with a guy. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/12 "2013-04-06T19:55:19Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > If any play tight end that will be hilarious. 😃 > > This is 2013 correct? Anyone really care if a ball player is gay? If he is a great athlete thats all that matters. What he does off the field is his business. I’m guessing you’re not from the South. My take is in the region of the US where football is like religion this would be a big honkin’ deal. I think many fans would have a difficult time processing it… “Huh? but, wait, that’s not possible, is it? He’s in the NFL, for God’s sake!” ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/13 "2013-04-06T20:21:17Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Didn’t Tom Brady leave one supermodel girlfriend when she was pregnant with her son to go marry another supermodel? I guess nothing is impossible, but he’s really going the extra mile if he’s faking his heterosexuality. > (or maybe I’m being wooshed). Not even close. He left a hot actress while she was pregnant to go marry a supermodel. Big difference. I hate to come to his defense but from what I remember they both said they found out she was pregnant after they broke up (Bridget Moynahan who is on Blue Bloods). ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/14 "2013-04-06T20:24:17Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Aaron Rodgers is single and lives with a guy. And engaged. To a woman. ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/15 "2013-04-06T20:29:03Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > I’m guessing you’re not from the South. > > My take is in the region of the US where football is like religion this would be a big honkin’ deal. I think many fans would have a difficult time processing it… “Huh? but, wait, that’s not possible, is it? He’s in the NFL, for God’s sake!” Looking at [this OP](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=687366) about the Rutgers coach thing, I think that \*\*Aceplace’s \*\*views on the challenges that the gay community faces are not just because he’s not from the south. From there: > [@](#): > > If a grown ass man can’t handle having some basketballs thrown at him should he even be playing? Somebody calls him a faggot and his precious feelings are hurt? The coach is trying to instill some toughness in that team. Especially mental toughness. Call me a faggot? I’ll go out there and show you some balls by the way I play. At least that’s the reaction the coach is hoping for. If you can’t imagine that anti-gay slurs might hurt people’s feelings (particularly if they happen to be gay), then probably you’re also going to say clueless things like “This is 2013 correct? Anyone really care if a ball player is gay?” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/16 "2013-04-06T20:33:16Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > This is 2013 correct? Anyone really care if a ball player is gay? If he is a great athlete thats all that matters. What he does off the field is his business. Do I care personally? No. But let’s not act all naive and pretend everybody is totally accepting of gay people and always has been. Things have changed a lot in the last decade or so and let’s not forget what things were like before that- and how they still are in some places. There are still zero openly gay active athletes in North American pro sports and that’s not an accident. If that barrier falls, it’ll be a cool thing and another sign of progress. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/17 "2013-04-06T20:46:08Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > I think that’s a great idea. The first player to come out in a major U.S. sport will get so much media attention. Martina Navratilova came out over 30 years ago and certainly paid a hefty price for her courage. Tennis may not be as popular as football, but it’s still a major U.S. sport. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/18 "2013-04-06T20:56:22Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > This is 2013 correct? Anyone really care if a ball player is gay? If nobody cared, then somebody would have come out of the closet long ago. An openly gay NFL player will be a big deal and there will be negative publicity. I’ve always assumed the first gay player scenario would occur one of two ways. Either a player would announce he was gay as he retired or a player would pre-emptively announce he was gay because he was about to be exposed anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/19 "2013-04-06T20:56:36Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Martina Navratilova came out over 30 years ago and certainly paid a hefty price for her courage. Navratilova was a trailblazer, but these days nobody is really surprised by lesbians in women’s sports. I can’t think of an openly gay man in professional tennis or golf, nevermind football or basketball. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940/20 "2013-04-06T21:16:12Z")
My answer was a joke. I’m disappointed. And I’m pretty sure a gay man has been married before. A male friend of mine has slept with a whole host of married men. Not saying he is a hero. Just saying. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-nfl-players-may-come-out-of-the-closet-on-the-same-day/654940.md?page=2)